Late Winter Amphibian Migrations are Underway!

2/6/2022

Wake up herpers! The slums of winter are over. These warm rains bring the breeding migrations for several of our iconic species. I have noted several species in the last few days, and there are several more to come. So, here is my list of what to expect for on our next warm wet night. In addition I have found Bullfrogs, Green Frogs, and Eastern Red-backed Salamanders, but I will only include species that are moving to breed in this winter time frame. I will make predictions on migration start dates, and grade myself on start dates. My predictions will be based on weeks with February 1-7 being Week #1, 8-14 is week #2, 15-21 is week #3, and 22-28 being week #4.

Personal Finds for February Week #1

Eastern American Toad

Though I have not seen any true breeding activity yet, I have noted large numbers of American Toads on the roads on our two warm, rainy nights this week. Breeding should start around the first of March, weather dependent.

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Spring Peeper

I have noticed Peepers peeping throughout the winter on warm days, but now we should see an influx of these tiny frogs breeding. For the next couple months, this should be the most abundant species in the state.

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Upland Chorus Frog

This time of year starts the breeding season for the Upland Chorus Frog, which we are strongly encouraging or herp-heroes to record calling or photo graph and post on iNaturalist. This species is poorly mapped in our state, but the maps are improving with your help!

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Spotted Salamander

I found this big, almost patternless female pictured on February 4th with a half dozen male Spotteds while road cruising. Males are the first to go to the pools, so expect heavy traffic on the next warm rain.

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Mole Salamander

We ventured down to the Banister River floodplain in Pittslyvania Co. on February 4th and found 3 Mole Salamanders in one vernal pool. This species seems to breed slightly earlier than the Spotted Salamanders, but we have found the two together in years past. The location I find them in is a cutover on the edge of a forest, but I cannot say if that is the prime habitat.

Southern Two-lined Salamander

This species is migrating to streams now to breed. I have found a couple this year while road cruising, with one individual being a beautiful breeding male. The best way to road cruise these is to simply walk a stretch near a creek, but this species is easy enough to find in and around creeks the rest of the year.

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Reported Species Moving February Week #1

Tiger Salamanders

I have gotten reports that Tiger Salamanders where on the move February 3rd form one of our photo contributors on this site. This is the right time of year. There are probably sites yet to be discovered that have Tiger Salamanders, so if you think you have found a one, please report it to our Herp ID Form on the "Herp ID Help" tab. We do want you to submit the observation to iNaturalist as well, but we want to take precautions to protect this endangered species. All that said, we may could make the process easy if it is just a case of misidentification, as Spotteds are often confused for Tigers.

Predictions for February

Fowler's Toad

Prediction: February Week #4

Due to lack of competition and more temperate climate, Fowler's Toads on the Eastern Shore are likely to start breeding before March. In other parts of the state, it seems the emerge around the end of March.

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Southern Toad

Prediction: February Week #3

Southern Toads have the longest breeding season of our native True Toads. Last year I recorded this species emerging and calling in Greensville Co. on February 28th. I do not live in range for this species, so I am not going to say they do not start a week or two earlier than that. I would just predict, this species will emerge and breed with one or two more warm rains.

Edit: I have received my first report of breeding activity of this species on February 23rd.

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Mountain Chorus Frog

Prediction: March Week #1

I really do not have a ton of experience with these small frogs, but they seem to run a few weeks later than their sister species, likely due to a cooler climate. I predict these to start calling late February to mid March this year.

New Jersey Chorus Frogs

Prediction: February Week #1

If it was as warm and wet on the Eastern Shore as it was in the Piedmont on the 3rd and 4th, this species is probably already calling. That said, with more warm, wet weather, this species will probably be active until April.

Southern Chorus Frogs

Prediction: February Week #3

Southern Chorus Frogs usually breed at the same time as Uplands. I presume they will be active during the next warm rain. Their range is very restricted though and the know areas are quite rural, so it is probably not a species you will find in your area.

Brimley's Chorus Frog

Prediction: March Week #1

Now here is a truly overlooked and understudied species in Virginia. I photographed this gravid female last year in Greensville on February 28th, but I did not hear this species calling for another 20 days. That said, last year was warm. I do not live within this species range, so I predict this species to call within the first two weeks of March.

Wood Frog

Prediction: February Week #3

This is another species I do not live in range of, so it may have been active this week, but if it was not, it will be soon. This species is an incredibly early breeder, and I expect them to be in vernal pools by the first of March.

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Pickerel Frog

Prediction: February Week #4

I have documented this species calling as early as February 9th. Give it a few more warm nights, any this species will start their love songs, that sounds more like a flatus or a snore than a frog, in your local ponds.

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Southern Leopard Frog

Prediction: February Week #4

Southern Leopard Frogs breed twice a year, and their spring season will be soon. This species will start breeding by the end of February in the state.

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Kauffeld's Leopard Frog

Prediction: February Week #4

From my experience, breeding coincides with that of Southern Leopard Frogs. In fact, last year on March 11th, I documented Kauffeld's, Southern Leopard, and Wood Frogs all breeding within a mile of one another in Cumberland Co.

Eastern Spadefoot

Prediction: No Prediction

This is a species that I find hard to pinpoint. I have documented mass breeding (hundreds in amplexis and eggs) as early as February 28th, and others have documented eggs in June all in the same year. They seem to erupt in an area, breed, and disappear all in one or two nights. So, heavy, warm rains could trigger them in your area, so be just prepared.

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Jefferson's Salamander

Prediction: February Week #3

If this species hasn't started now, I expect them to in next warm, heavy rain. Keep in mind, the higher in elevation, the later this species will breed.

Mabee's Salamander

Prediction: Already Breeding

These should still be breeding, but they may start as early as late December. They are so rare however, so we are not sure their full breeding range.

Four-toed Salamander

Prediction: Sometime in March...

There have been arguments over whether this species breeds in fall, spring, or both. In May, eggs have been found in Virginia, and I see this species more often from March to April. So, I really have no approximate time frame for this species to emerge, I will just say keep an eye out on any areas with heavy sphagnum moss cover.

Northern Two-lined Salamander

Prediction: February Week #1

This species seems pretty well in sync with the Southern Two-lined Salamander, so I assume they are moving now or very soon.

Red-spotted Newt

Prediction: Already Breeding

I haven't found any yet this year, due to a lack of searching, but they were looking quite nice in December so I am beyond confident they are breeding now.

So, these are my thoughts for this year. I plan on keeping a list of what is found when, and coming back and grading my predictions, so keep an eye out for that. If you find one of these species, post it on iNaturalist, and I will pull the first reports from there. Keep in mind I may be wrong, but I want to know when I am wrong, to better predict in the future for all of you looking to see your first Spotted Salamander or Kauffeld's Leopard Frog. Eventually, we may be able to build a table or calendar with this data as a quick guide to migration schedules. Good Herps!