 |
American Toad (Bufo americanus)
Below: Feeding frenzy sequence in Garrett Co., Maryland. "Tater" was one hungry toad,
and those katydids appear to be some good eatin'.
Spring Peepers and American Toads in Baltimore Co., Maryland (3/14/2012)
Below: An American Toad couple starting a very large family. The smaller male is on the back of the larger female, fertilizing what will be thousands of eggs. Unless delayed by colder weather, the eggs hatch in about a week, and the tiny black "toadpoles" develop over 1-2 months.
Comments: The more expected toad in central and western Maryland, the American Toad is very similar to the Fowler's Toad (formerly considered a subspecies of the Woodhouse's Toad). The American Toad prefers moist habitats from yards to heavy woodlands, while Fowler's Toad prefers sandy areas near marshland. Both are primarily nocturnal, and are prodigious eaters of insects. The call of the American Toad is a musical trill that lasts about 30 seconds. The Fowler's Toad has been described as sounding like the bleat of a sheep with a cold. The most reliable way to distinguish an American Toad from a Woodhouse's Toad is to note a "separation of the parotoid glands from the cranial crests" (the glands behind the eyes and the "eye-bumps"). Both begin breeding season in March. Top two photos were taken in Baltimore Co., Maryland in spring 2004. Third through fifth photos taken at Carey Run Nature Sanctuary, Garrett Co., Maryland (7/30/2005). Second photo from bottom taken along the Middle Patuxent River in Howard Co., Maryland (4/13/2006).