Wednesday, March 25, 2009

DNR seeking volunteers for frog and toad calling survey

(Minnesota) The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources’ (DNR’s) Nongame Wildlife Program is recruiting volunteers to participate in its ongoing statewide frog and toad calling survey.

Since 1996, volunteers have collected data by listening to and identifying frog and toad species on specified 10-stop routes. The results provide information on where species are located and how their populations change in abundance and distribution.

Volunteers are needed particularly in the southwest portion of the state for this year’s survey, which begins on April 15.

Volunteers “run” their assigned 10-stop route and listen for calls to identify frogs and toads on three nights a year. These routes are run after dark, in good weather, and in each of the following time periods to capture seasonal variation in calling frog species: April 15 - 30 (early spring), May 20 - June 5 (late spring), and June 25 - July 10 (summer). Dates in the northern portion of the state are delayed by 10 days.

The provides new volunteers with a CD of Minnesota frog and toad species’ calls, a map of their assigned route, instructions and a field datasheet. A vehicle is required to travel between stops along the survey route.

A map of available route locations and other survey information are available online.

To volunteer, contact Krista Larson by e-mail.

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