Amphibian · GBIF taxon 2422872
Anaxyrus americanus
anaxyrus americanusAlso known as Eastern American Toad, American Hop-Toad
American toads fill warm spring evenings with prolonged, musical trills that echo across ponds and wetlands as males call for mates. By day, these terrestrial amphibians shelter under logs, leaf litter, or garden stepping stones before emerging at night to hunt down destructive insect pests. When threatened, special glands behind their eyes produce a milky, distasteful fluid that deters predators like dogs and coyotes.
AmphibianNocturnalInsectivore
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Insects
- Earthworms
- Slugs
Predators
- Garter snakes
- Raccoons
- Herons
ThreatsHabitat loss, pesticides, road mortality, and chytrid fungus
HabitatsForests, meadows, agricultural fields, suburban yards, and gardens
Life span5 to 10 years in the wild
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- OrderAnura
- FamilyBufonidae
- GenusAnaxyrus
- Speciesanaxyrus americanus
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskHigh
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is high
- Secretes mild toxins that irritate skin and eyes; toxic to dogs and cats if mouthed or swallowed.
- Why it is dangerous
- Parotoid glands behind the eyes produce bufotoxins that cause drooling and sickness in pets, plus skin and eye irritation in humans.
- How to recognize a risky encounter
- Recognized by dry, warty brownish skin with one or two large warts inside each dark spot on the back.
- What to do
- Observe without handling, wash hands immediately if touched, and keep pets from mouthing or playing with them.
Responsible observation
- Spring Calls: Listen for long, musical trills near shallow ponds and flooded fields during warm spring nights.
- Garden Ally: Welcome them into yards, as a single adult consumes thousands of garden pests each summer.
- Pet Safety: Keep curious dogs away, as bufotoxin secretions can cause illness if a toad is mouthed.
Predator Wilson44691 / Public domain · cc0
Close Relative no rights reserved · cc0
Close Relative Norman.benton / Public domain · cc0
Close Relative Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 2.5 · cc-by-sa
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