Eastern American Toad

Description:

This little toad was found prowling around in the morning, though they are usually most active at night, spending the day hiding in burrows or underneath logs, forest ground litter, or rocks. Visual clues to identification: only one or two warts in the largest of the dark spots on the back; enlarged warts on the tibia; lack of high cranial crests protruding toward snout from pronounced parotoid glands.

Habitat:

American toads require a semi-permanent freshwater pond or pool for their early development. They also require dense patches of vegetation, for cover and hunting grounds. Given these two things and a supply of insects for food, American toads can live almost everywhere, ranging from forests to backyards. They are common in gardens and agricultural fields. During daylight hours they seek cover beneath porches, under boardwalks, flat stones, boards, logs, wood piles, or other cover. When cold weather comes, these toads dig backwards into their summer homes or may choose another site in which to hibernate. Habitat Regions: temperate ; terrestrial ; freshwater Terrestrial Biomes: chaparral ; forest ; rainforest ; scrub forest ; mountains Aquatic Biomes: lakes and ponds; rivers and streams Wetlands: marsh ; swamp ; bog Other Habitat Features: urban ; suburban ; agricultural ; riparian

Notes:

Spotted at Unicoi State Park