The motorbike frog is a ground-dwelling tree frog found in Southwest Australia. It gets its name from the male frog's mating call, which sounds like a motorbike riding past and changing gears. Other common names are Moore's frog, the western bell frog, western green and golden bell frog, and western green tree frog.
Back is green with gold mottling (after basking in sunlight). Can be almost dark brown in colder conditions. The underside usually ranges from very pale green to light brown.
Tadpoles
Large translucent yellow with darker areas. As they develop they become darker with deep fins and a pointed tail tip.
Distinctive feature
A dark stripe runs from the snout, over the eye and tympanum (tight membrane covering the entrance to the ear) to the forearm insertion.
Size
Males 4.7 – 7.1 cm, females 5.3 – 7.8 cm.
Behaviour
Call
Has two components: The first sounds like a long low growl - similar to a motorbike changing gears, the second part sounds like a series of low growls.
Listen to the Motorbike Frog call © Dale Roberts
Diet
Mainly arthropods but also smaller frogs same species juveniles. Tadpole diet is mainly algae
Movement
Despite being a tree frog rarely climbs higher than one or two metres.
Breeding
Starts in early spring and can continue into summer. A large number of eggs are laid in clumps attached to floating or slightly submerged vegetation. Larvae can be found throughout summer. Metamorphosis is often as late as April. Tadpoles are dark with deep fins and a pointed tail tip.
Field Guide
Improve your identification skills. Download your Motorbike Frog field guide here!
