What Big Ears
Part of the Frogs: A Chorus of Colors exhibition.
Part of the Frogs: A Chorus of Colors exhibition.
Most frogs have excellent hearing but cannot hear the highest or lowest sounds that humans hear. A frog's eardrum, or tympanum, is on the outside of its body just behind the eye. The size of the eardrums and the distance between them determine which sounds a frog hears best. To protect its sensitive ears, a frog may produce special vibrations in its body to partly block the sound of its own loud call.