Pobblebonk Frog

Pobblebonk Frog

(Limnodynastes dorsalis)

If you live in the southwest of Western Australia, you probably have never have seen this frog, but you may have heard its call. The origin of its common name, ‘Pobblebonk’, is the loud solitary bonk sound made during the breeding season. It is also called the Western Banjo Frog. The repetitious bonking sounds are reminiscent of someone plucking banjo strings. 

They are substantial frogs around 7.5cm long, dark grey-green or brown with irregular mottled darker markings, bright red patches in the groin, and a thin yellow stripe that runs down the body’s centre. Males develop nuptial pads and a dark throat in the breeding season. Pobblebonks inhabit rural areas near dams, swamps, and wetlands. However, they can also be found some distance away from water sources concealed in sandy burrows.

Pobblebonk Frog Breeding  

The breeding season for Pobblebonk frogs commences with calling in winter and extends into the early summer. Females create a floating foam nest by slapping the water’s surface, and hanging vegetation conceals the nests until the eggs hatch. Tadpoles are large and slow to develop, metamorphosing into froglets in early summer through to early autumn.

Pobblebonks readily move into dams and garden ponds due to shrinking natural habitats. They feed predominantly on insects and worms, making them a great inhabitant of backyard ponds.

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