Toads are found in virtually every terrestrial habitat in North America, making them one of the continent’s most widespread groups of animals. However, North America’s “true toads” vary significantly in size and color depending on their habitat. In this article we’ll look at 20 of the toad species you can find in North America.
Toads of North America
A “true toad” is a member of the Bufonidae family of amphibians. They have unique characteristics that differentiate them from frogs. Here are five of the main ways in which toads differ from frogs:
- Skin Texture: Toads have dry, bumpy, and often warty skin, while frogs have smooth, moist skin that helps them stay hydrated.
- Habitat Preference: Toads are more terrestrial and can live farther from water sources, while frogs generally stay near water as they need it for their permeable skin.
- Body Shape and Legs: Toads have shorter legs and a more stout, compact body, whereas frogs typically have longer, powerful hind legs for jumping and a more streamlined body.
- Egg-Laying: Toads lay eggs in long chains, while frogs lay eggs in clusters or large masses in the water.
- Movement: Toads tend to walk or make short hops, while frogs are known for their long, leaping jumps, using their strong hind legs for mobility.
Let’s jump into the diverse species of toads that live in North America.
1. American Toad
The American toad is one of the most common amphibians found in North America and can be found in various habitats. They have a grayish-brown or reddish-brown body with black spots, which helps them camouflage with the ground. Their skin is covered in warty bumps.
Land habitats include hardwood or pine-hardwood forests with moist hiding places, land that contains accumulated leaf litter, and sandy, loamy soil, among others. To breed, they require shallow water bodies of fresh water.
The American toad has three subspecies. The eastern American toad ranges in size from 2 to 3.5 inches. The dwarf American toad measures up to 2.25 inches. The Hudson Bay toad is from 3.5 to 4.5 inches.
2. Wyoming Toad
The Wyoming toad is the rarest toad in North America and today exists primarily in captivity. The Wyoming Toad Recovery Group was established in 1987 to conduct research and facilitate the conservation of the species.Wyoming toads previously inhabited streams and floodplains in the Laramie basin in Wyoming. They are dark brown, gray, or green with small dark markings on the underside.
Wyoming toads nearly went extinct due to a combination of factors, primarily habitat loss, disease, and climate changes. Agricultural expansion and wetland drainage reduced their natural habitat in the Laramie Basin of Wyoming, where they relied on ponds and marshes for breeding. Additionally, the chytrid fungus, a deadly pathogen affecting amphibians worldwide, devastated Wyoming toad populations by causing skin infections that disrupt their ability to absorb water and oxygen. Climate changes, including droughts and altered temperature patterns, further impacted their already limited and fragile habitat.
3. Western Toad
Western Toads are found in the Western U.S., Canada, and Mexico. Its primary diet consists of insects. They are ambush predators who wait for prey to come to them before attacking.
Western toads are round and robust. They usually grow to about 2 to 5 inches long. Their colors range from green, tan, brown, gray, and yellow. These toads can be identified by a white stripe that runs down the length of their back.
In spring and early summer, western toads can be seen basking in the sun on rocks. However, they prefer to spend their time near moist habitats.
4. Arroyo Toad
The arroyo toad is a small toad found in the southwestern United States, from California to Texas. They range from 1 to 2 inches long and have a wide stocky body and short legs. Their backs are green, brown, or gray speckled with white bodies.
Arroyo toads primarily inhabit sandy, slow-flowing streams and arroyos, which are dry creek beds. They prefer habitats with loose sand or gravel for burrowing, as well as nearby open, shallow pools for breeding. These toads rely on seasonal rain patterns that create temporary streams and pools, which provide suitable breeding sites and reduce predator presence. The surrounding habitat often includes chaparral, coastal sage scrub, and oak woodlands, where arroyo toads can find shelter and forage for insects when not breeding.
Arroyo toads have seen significant habitat loss. Human development like urban sprawl, mining, and grazing activities have limited these toads’ natural habitat regions.
5. Coastal Plains Toad
The coastal plains toad, also called the gulf coast toad, is a small, brown toad that can be found along the gulf coasts from Veracruz, Mexico, to Mississippi. Their primary habitat is the flat, open plains near the coast.
This toad inhabits areas with a lot of grass and low vegetation. Its diet consists of a variety of insects, spiders, and other small creatures. They’re often found in coastal suburban areas at night, feeding on insects near streetlights and porch lights.
During rainy periods, males call to attract females. As a result, females can lay upwards of 20,000 eggs and sometimes lay two clutches in a season.
6. Colorado River Toad
The Colorado River toad is also called the Sonoran Desert toad and is found in Mexico and the southwestern United States. It’s the largest toad in the United States and is usually a solid leathery-looking olive green or brown.
Colorado River toads exude toxins from glands within their skin that have psychoactive properties and can even kill some predators. In addition, the secretions, when ingested or smoked, have been known to produce hallucinations and euphoric experiences.
7. Dixie Valley Toad
The Dixie Valley toad is isolated to a small area of California and Nevada. They inhabit spring-fed marshlands with vegetation.
It was once thought to be a subspecies of the western toad. However, genetic testing established it as a separate toad species. Tiny, gold flecks cover its olive body, distinguishing the Dixie Valley toad from the western toad.
8. Yosemite Toad
The Yosemite toad is endemic to California’s Sierra Nevada region. They are adapted to high altitudes and live in the montane and subalpine zones of the mountains. They have been listed as a threatened species since 2014.
The Yosemite toad spends most of the time buried to stay cool and be protected from predators. They move around by walking and not hopping.
Yosemite toads are sexually dichromatic, meaning male and female colors and patterns differ significantly. For example, females are usually covered in dark spots, while males tend to be solid-colored.
9. Great Plains Toad
The Great Plains toad is found in deserts, grasslands, and other semi-desert areas from the northern Great Plains in Canada down to the Sonoran Desert of Mexico. They prefer loose soil and grassland habitat.
The Great Plains toad usually lays eggs in the spring and summer or after heavy rainfall. As a result, this toad can be very loud at times. The mating call is a high-pitched chirping noise repeated many times per second, which creates a very loud call that can be heard from far away.
10. Chihuahuan Green Toad
This small flat-bodied toad is greenish yellow in color and covered in black and reddish-colored spots. Their color patterns vary depending on their location.
Chihuahuan green toads are small. Males are only 1.5 to 1.7 inches, and females grow from 1.7 to 2 inches.
They prefer an arid climate, and their habitats are spread out across parts of Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, and northern Mexico. They withstand dry conditions by absorbing water through a porous pelvic patch they press against damp soil.
11. Black Toad
The black toad is also known as the Deep Springs toad or Inyo toad because it lives in Inyo County, California, in the Deep Springs Valley. Its scientific name is Bufo exsul, which translates to “exiled toad” due to its isolation.
Black toads are black in color, as their name implies, and they have white or tan speckles and a light line down their back. They are small, only reaching about 2 inches in length.
12. Fowler’s Toad
Fowler’s toad was once considered a subspecies of Woodhouse’s toad, but later it was proven to be its own species. Their habitat spans the eastern United States in piedmont areas away from the coastal plains.
Typically brown, gray, or greenish in color with darker spots, Fowler’s toads have a warty appearance and a pale stripe running down their backs, helping them blend into sandy or rocky environments.
Fowler’s toads are highly adaptable, often inhabiting woodlands, grasslands, and river floodplains, but they are especially fond of sandy soils near water, which makes it easy for them to dig and burrow. During the breeding season, males make a loud, nasal “waaaaah” call to attract females, which gather in temporary pools and shallow waters to lay their eggs.
13. Red-spotted toad
The red-spotted toad can grow up to 3 inches and is identified by its grayish color with red spots. The red spots on their skin can vary in size and number but are usually relatively uniform.
The red-spotted toad’s habitat ranges from northern Mexico into the southwestern United States and is particularly abundant in Baja California. They take advantage of rains for breeding, and tadpoles develop relatively quickly in temporary pools of water.
14. Oak Toad
The Oak toad is the smallest in North America and measures just 0.75 to 1.3 inches. They live in moist woodlands and forests. They are found on the coastal plains of the southeastern United States in wooded areas.
Oak toads are dark gray or brown with darker spots and are identifiable by a prominent light-colored mid-dorsal stripe down their back. Males have a light underbelly, and females have a darker speckled belly.
15. Texas Toad
The Texas toad can be found in parts of the southern U.S., particularly Texas, Oklahoma, and northern Mexico. They are medium-sized toads measuring about 2 to 3.5 inches and are a grayish brown color.
The toad has granular skin, and its eyes are positioned high on its head, giving it an aggressive appearance. They are capable of producing a variety of sounds, including whistles, squeals, and croaks.
Because of their ability to adapt so easily, the Texas toad can survive drought periods. They often burrow in moist soil or mud, stay dormant during dry weather, and then emerge during rainy periods to breed in temporary pools of water.
16. Sonoran Green Toad
The Sonoran green toad is nicknamed the “jewel of the Sonoran Desert” because of its unique color pattern. They are yellowish green with a distinct dark reticulation pattern. They have a light underbelly, and males can be identified by their dark throats.
Sonoran green toads are tiny toads, only about 2.5 inches. They are primarily found in the southwestern U.S. and northern Mexico. They prefer a semi-arid climate like that of Arizona.
These toads become especially active during the rainy season in the desert. They lay 50 to 200 eggs in temporary pools. Because these water sources can evaporate quickly, Sonoran toad tadpoles have adapted to develop rapidly, typically completing their metamorphosis within a few weeks. This fast development helps ensure they mature into toadlets before their breeding pools dry up.
17. Southern Toad
The Southern toad is a common toad species found in the southeastern United States, from North Carolina down to Florida and west to parts of Louisiana. These toads are medium-sized, typically ranging from 1.5 to 4 inches long, with a bumpy, warty appearance. They are usually brown, gray, or reddish, with distinctive cranial crests—raised ridges behind their eyes—that help differentiate them from other toads.
Southern toads thrive in various habitats, including pine forests, sandy areas, coastal plains, and suburban yards, often near water sources for breeding. They are primarily nocturnal, emerging at night to feed on insects, spiders, and other small invertebrates.
Southern toads can burrow, allowing them to escape heat or dry conditions by digging into sandy soils. While they are not highly toxic, Southern toads secrete a mild toxin that can deter some predators, though it poses no serious threat to humans.
18. Woodhouse’s Toad
The Woodhouse’s toad is a widespread species found in the central and western United States, extending into parts of northern Mexico. Named after the naturalist Samuel Woodhouse, this medium-to-large toad typically grows between 2 to 5 inches long. Its coloration varies from grayish to brown or olive, often with dark blotches on its back and a pale stripe running down the center.
Woodhouse’s toads live in various habitats such as grasslands, deserts, river valleys, and even urban areas. They prefer areas near water, where they breed, but are quite tolerant of drier environments and can travel far from water sources during the non-breeding season.
19. Houston Toad
The Houston toad is about 2 to 3 inches long. It can be any color of brown, but sometimes there are green patches as well. On its underbelly, there are usually patterned dark spots. Males have a blue-ish throat that pushes up when they’re mad or excited.
The Houston Toad eats insects, spiders, and other small animals. It can be found near streams and often hides under logs or leaves when it is scared or threatened.
In their natural environment of forested areas with loblolly pine, post oak, bluejack or sandjack oak, yaupon, and little bluestem grasses, many Houston toads spend six months out of every year in a state similar to hibernation.
This toad was discovered in the 1940s in east Texas and named for the city of Houston. Unfortunately, it is endangered, with only a few thousand left in the wild. The Houston toad was one of the first amphibians federally listed as an endangered species on October 13, 1970.
20. Eastern Spadefoot Toad
The Eastern spadefoot toad is found primarily in the southeastern and eastern United States. It gets its name from the distinctive spade-like projections on its hind feet, which it uses to dig into sandy or loose soil. Unlike many other toads, Eastern spadefoots are expert burrowers, often spending most of their time underground, sometimes emerging only during heavy rains.
Eastern spadefoots are generally smaller, ranging from 1.5 to 2.5 inches, with smoother skin than most other toads. They are typically tan to brown with two distinctive yellow lines forming an hourglass shape on their back, setting them apart from the warty texture of typical toads.
They are seldom seen except during rainy periods when they emerge to feed and breed. Their underground lifestyle helps them avoid dry conditions and predators, making them one of the most elusive toad species in their range.
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