Most of us are familiar with the American toad’s breeding call –
a long trill that advertises his presence to potential mates in
the area. However, American toads have three other calls, as
well. A shortened version of the courtship trill, which sounds
like a chirp, is given by male toad with its vocal pouch just
slightly inflated. A second, release call, is often heard when a
male is clasped by another male. (If you want to hear it, just
pick up a male toad during the breeding season – it will vibrate
as it chirps right in your hand. The combination of the call and
the vibrations usually causes a clasping male to release his
grip.) A fourth call, which has been recorded in the lab but not
in the field, is a series of quiet clicks given by the male
while clasping a female. Numerous displays lead up to the mating
of great blue herons – neck stretching, bill clacking, wing
preening, circling flights, twig shaking, crest raising, neck
fluffing, to name but a few. After this elaborate courtship
comes copulation,