On my spring break trip to Puerto Rico, I had the opportunity to explore El Yunque National Forest and listen to the calls of the coquí. Afterwards, I began to become more aware of their calls while exploring Puerto Rico, particularly hearing them in less city-like areas. These tiny frogs are not only common in Puerto Rican rainforests, but are also an important part of the island’s cultural identity.
The Puerto Rican coquí (Eleutherodactylus coqui) is a small arboreal frog, typically brown, yellow, or green in color, and they measure about one to two inches in length (National Wildlife Federation, n.d.). Despite their size, coquíes are well known for their loud and distinctive nighttime calls, which sound like “co-kee.” These calls produced by males are used to attract females and establish territory among competing males. According to researchers, the “co” part of the call is intended to repel males, while “quí” serves to attract females (Discover Puerto Rico, n.d.).
Native to Puerto Rico, the coquí lives in the island’s forests, particularly in El Yunque. The coquí’s reproductive method is different from other amphibians. Unlike many frog species that lay eggs in water, coquís lay their eggs on land, often in moist leaf litter or bromeliads. The male coquí plays an important role in parental care by guarding the eggs and keeping them moist through his moist skin. This is vital for their development as it prevents the frogs from drying out or desiccation. In addition, these frogs do not undergo a tadpole stage. Instead, they hatch directly into tiny frogs with short tails (National Wildlife Federation, n.d.).
While the coquí seem harmless and are beloved in Puerto Rico, their introduction to other regions, such as Hawaii in the late 1980s, has caused ecological disruption due to their high population density and loud calls. In Hawaii, the absence of natural predators and favorable climatic conditions have allowed coquí populations to reach densities three times the estimates reported from native populations in Puerto Rico (Woolbright, 2006). This overpopulation has led to the consumption of many native invertebrates, and as a result, disrupting local ecosystems and threatening endemic species (Beard & Pitt, 2005). Additionally, the loud calls of male coquíes, reaching up to 100 decibels, have become a source of noise pollution, affecting the life for residents and impacting property values (Beard et al., 2005). There are also 13 species of coquí, each with its own unique call, and they sing at different times throughout the day. As you might imagine, the constant chorus can become quite loud and even overwhelming at times.
In Puerto Rico, coquíes have profound cultural importance that goes beyond their biological characteristics. They are often honored in mythology, song, and art, and many Puerto Ricans identify the sound of coquíes with home. It’s clear the Puerto Rican coquí is far more than a small frog. Whether heard echoing through the rainforest or symbolized in island art, the coquí continues to be a defining voice of Puerto Rico.
Video of Coqui Sounds Taken from Puerto Rico
Sources cited
Beard, K. H., & Pitt, W. C. (2005). Potential consequences of the coqui frog (Eleutherodactylus coqui) invasion in Hawaii. Diversity and Distributions, 11(5), 427–433. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1366-9516.2005.00178.x
“Coquí in the Rainforest.” Discover Puerto Rico, https://www.discoverpuertorico.com/coqui. Accessed 2 Apr. 2025.
“Puerto Rican Coqui.” National Wildlife Federation, https://www.nwf.org/Educational-Resources/Wildlife-Guide/Amphibians/Puerto-Rican-Coqui.
“The Sounds of the Coquí Explained!” Discover Puerto Rico, https://www.discoverpuertorico.com/article/sounds-coqui-explained. Accessed 2 Apr. 2025.
Westrick, S. E., Laslo, M., & Fischer, E. K. (2022). The big potential of the small frog Eleutherodactylus coqui. eLife, 11, e73401. https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.73401
Woolbright, Lawrence & Hara, Arnold & Jacobsen, Christopher & Mautz, William & Benevides, Francis. (2006). Population Densities of the Coquí, Eleutherodactylus coqui (Anura: Leptodactylidae) in Newly Invaded Hawaii and in Native Puerto Rico. Journal of Herpetology – J HERPETOL. 40. 122-126. 10.1670/79-05W.1.
