How loud is a coquí frog?
Coquí frogs can reach up to 95 dB. The Hawaii Invasive Species Council says the call reaches up to 95 dB, similar to a motorcycle engine, and a 2022 eLife review states that chorusing coquí produce sound pressures of up to 95 dB. Neither gives a distance.
- Level
- 95 dB maxunweighted maximum sound level
- Daily limit
- About 48 min a dayNIOSH, at the loud end
What the numbers mean
How it was measured. Calling coquí frogs (Eleutherodactylus coqui), as reported by the Hawaii Invasive Species Council and in a 2022 eLife review citing Beard & Pitt (2005). Both say 'up to 95 dB'; distance and weighting not stated.
The coquí is a small frog native to Puerto Rico, named after the male's two-note 'co-quí' call. The Hawaii Invasive Species Council says it was accidentally introduced to Hawaii in plants around or before 1988, and that Hawaiian populations reach up to 91,000 frogs per hectare, two to three times higher than estimates for Puerto Rico.
The Hawaii Invasive Species Council describes the call as loud, incessant and annoying, lasting from dusk until dawn, and up to 95 dB, similar to a motorcycle engine. A 2022 review in eLife gives the same 95 dB figure for chorusing coquí and notes that the noise has been linked to falling property values in Hawaii.
Neither source states a distance, so 95 dB is best read as the level near calling frogs in a dense chorus. Further away, or with fewer frogs, it is quieter.
How long is safe?
NIOSH recommends no more than 48 min a day at 95 dBA. OSHA's legal limit is 4 h. This is a maximum, so a time limit based on it is a worst case. This level is not A-weighted, so the times are approximate: low-pitched sound measures lower in dBA.
| Level | NIOSH limit (85 dBA, 3 dB rule) | OSHA limit (90 dBA, 5 dB rule) | UK/EU 80 dB(A) action value reached after | UK/EU 85 dB(A) action value reached after |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 95 dB max | 48 min | 4 h | 15 min | 48 min |
Times are for a whole day’s exposure, with the rest of the day quiet. The workplace limits were written for adults at work, not for children. Work out a mixed day with the noise dose calculator.
Protecting your hearing
If coquí choruses near your bedroom keep you awake, closing windows and using foam earplugs reduces the level. In Hawaii, report new coquí populations to the island's invasive species committee.
Earplug and earmuff ratings (NRR in the US, SNR in the UK and EU) are lab figures; real-world protection is usually lower. How to read the ratings.
Compared with sounds nearby
Using midpoints of each range. Energy multiplies by 10 every 10 dB; perceived loudness roughly doubles (why).
- Birdsong (74–103 dB max): this has about 4.5× its sound energy and sounds about 1.6× as loud.
- Sonic boom (75–110 dB max): this has about 1.8× its sound energy and sounds about 1.2× as loud.
- Rooster crowing (100–108 dB max): it has about 7.9× the sound energy of this and sounds about 1.9× as loud.
- Fighter jet (103–113 dB max): it has about 20× the sound energy of this and sounds about 2.5× as loud.
Questions
How loud is a coquí frog?
Up to 95 dB, according to the Hawaii Invasive Species Council and a 2022 eLife review.
Why are coquí frogs a problem in Hawaii?
They are an invasive species that reaches very high densities in Hawaii; their loud dusk-to-dawn chorus is a nuisance and has been linked to lower property values.
Sources
- Coqui frog, Hawaii Invasive Species Council (Hawaii DLNR). Supports: dB_high: up to 95 dB.
(Up to 95 dB – similar to a motorcycle engine)
Checked 2026-11-02. - Coqui frog, Hawaii Invasive Species Council (Hawaii DLNR). Supports: body: dusk to dawn.
Produces loud, incessant and annoying call from dusk until dawn.
Checked 2026-11-02. - The big potential of the small frog Eleutherodactylus coqui, eLife (2022), via PMC. Supports: dB_high: up to 95 dB.
chorusing coquí produce sound pressures of up to 95 dB
Checked 2026-11-02. - Coqui frog, Hawaii Invasive Species Council (Hawaii DLNR). Supports: body: origin and introduction.
Native to Puerto Rico, accidentally introduced to Hawaiʻi hidden in plants around or before 1988.
Checked 2026-11-02. - Coqui frog, Hawaii Invasive Species Council (Hawaii DLNR). Supports: body: density.
Hawaiian populations reach densities of up to 91,000 frogs/hectare
Checked 2026-11-02. - The big potential of the small frog Eleutherodactylus coqui, eLife (2022), via PMC. Supports: body: property values.
decreasing property values (chorusing coquí produce sound pressures of up to 95 dB
Checked 2026-11-02.
This page is general information, not medical advice. If you have ringing in your ears, muffled hearing or any change in your hearing, see an audiologist or your doctor.