Toads live throughout California, thriving in its dry climates and varied habitats. With 16 different types of toads in California, including rare and endemic species, these amphibians showcase incredible adaptability. From deserts to meadows and woodlands, they inhabit a wide range of environments, each with unique traits and behaviors that make them vital to their ecosystems.
16 types of toads in California
The 16 types of toads in California are the California toad, Arroyo toad, Black toad, Couch’s spadefoot toad, Great Basin spadefoot toad, Great Plains toad, Red spotted toad, Sonoran Desert toad, Western spadefoot toad, Western toad, Woodhouse’s toad, Yosemite toad, Arizona toad, Boreal toad, California chorus frog, and Southern Pacific chorus frog.
1. Great Basin spadefoot toad
Scientific name: Spea intermontana
Named for the spade-like digging claw on their hind feet, Great Basin spadefoot toads spend most of their lives burrowed underground to escape the dry conditions of their northeastern California range. These toads emerge during heavy rains to breed, laying eggs in temporary pools formed by the rain. Their greenish-gray bodies and smooth skin help them blend into their arid surroundings.
2. Sonoran Desert toad
Scientific name: Incilius alvarius
This massive toad, often exceeding 7 inches in length, inhabits semi-desert regions in the southern half of California. With its smooth olive-green skin and impressive size, it can be mistaken for a bullfrog. Sonoran Desert toads have a unique breeding strategy, often mating only on a single rainy night each year.
3. Woodhouse’s toad
Scientific name: Bufo woodhousii
Yellowish-brown to greenish-gray with a pale stripe running down its back, Woodhouse’s toads are found in southeastern California. These toads prefer fertile areas like river valleys and floodplains, where they burrow into the soil to escape the heat during the day. At night, they emerge to hunt insects, using their stout bodies and strong hind legs to navigate the terrain.
4. Western toad
Scientific name: Bufo boreas
One of the most common toads in California, Western toads can be found across the state except in its driest deserts and highest mountain peaks. These chunky toads have warty skin that ranges in color from brown to gray, with a light stripe down their backs. Equipped with digging knobs on their hind feet, they are highly adaptable to a variety of environments.
5. California toad
Scientific name: Anaxyrus boreas halophilus
Widespread and abundant, the California toad is a familiar sight in gardens, woodlands, and wetlands throughout the state. With warty, greenish-brown to tan skin, they are well-camouflaged in their habitats. These toads are generalist feeders and are active during the day in cooler months, shifting to nocturnal habits in summer.
6. Red spotted toad
Scientific name: Bufo punctatus
Common in southeastern California, Red spotted toads are easily identified by the small red spots dotting their smooth gray skin. These toads prefer rocky canyons and streams, where they spend their time hiding under rocks or cooling off in shallow water. Their range extends into Mexico, making them a familiar sight in the arid southwestern landscape.
7. Couch’s spadefoot toad
Scientific name: Scaphiopus couchii
A medium-sized toad with a dull yellow body, Couch’s spadefoot toads are well-adapted to prairie grasslands and desert regions. Found primarily in southeastern California, they rely on rainfall to create breeding pools. Their ability to rapidly develop from egg to adult allows them to take full advantage of these temporary water sources.
8. Great Plains toad
Scientific name: Anaxyrus cognatus
Great Plains toads are large, warty amphibians found in California’s southeast corner. These toads often gather near roadside ditches or other water sources where insects are abundant. Known for their unique mating call, which resembles the sound of a jackhammer, male toads use this call to attract females during the breeding season.
9. Western spadefoot toad
Scientific name: Spea hammondii
Western spadefoot toads live in California’s grasslands and oak woodlands, especially in the Central Valley. Their smooth green skin provides excellent camouflage in their environment. Nocturnal by nature, they are rarely seen, and their breeding is triggered by heavy rainfall that forms temporary pools.
10. Arroyo toad
Scientific name: Anaxyrus californicus
Federally endangered
Endemic to southern California’s coastal mountain ranges, the Arroyo toad is an endangered species that can be confused with the more common California toad. This nocturnal amphibian has greenish-gray skin and breeds between March and July. Conservation efforts are critical to preserving its shrinking habitat.
11. Boreal toad
Scientific name: Anaxyrus boreas boreas
A subspecies of the Western toad, the Boreal toad is found in northern California, often in high-altitude habitats. This toad has warty skin and a robust body that helps it adapt to cooler mountain climates. Its range overlaps with the Western toad, but it is more specialized in its environmental preferences.
12. Arizona toad
Scientific name: Anaxyrus microscaphus
Once present in southeastern California, the Arizona toad is now believed to be extirpated from the state. This small, pale amphibian prefers desert streams and riparian habitats. Although rare, historical records highlight its importance to California’s amphibian diversity.
13. Black toad
Scientific name: Anaxyrus exsul
Native to the Deep Springs Valley, the Black toad has striking black skin with white speckles and a distinctive white dorsal stripe. This toad’s range is highly localized, limited to a small area at elevations between 5,000 and 5,200 feet. Despite its rarity, it thrives within its niche habitat, chirping softly instead of croaking.
14. Yosemite toad
Scientific name: Anaxyrus canorus
The Yosemite toad inhabits the high-altitude meadows and pine forests of California’s Sierra Nevada, living at elevations of up to 11,320 feet. With its muted brown and tan coloration, this toad blends into its wet meadow habitats. Its restricted range and reliance on specific environmental conditions make it one of the rarest and most vulnerable amphibians in the state.
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