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Bufo bufo

Common toad

Paar während der Wanderung (CC BY-SA 3.0) Christian Fischer

Short Description

The toad is greyish- to reddish-brown and covered in warts. Its belly is dirty white, sometimes with black patches. Its eyes are golden or bronze with horizontal pupils. Typical features are its broad squat body and its hopping motion.

Males are smaller than females and sometimes black-brown or light clay-coloured.

Females tend to be more reddish in colour.

The basic colour of the tadpoles is dark-brown to black.

Features

Common toad

Bufo bufo

  • skin covered in warts

Similar species

Natterjack toad

Epidalea calamita
The iris of the natterjack toad is yellow to greenish in colour. It also has a yellowish midline on the back and parallel ear glands.

European green toad

Bufotes viridis
The European green toad has yellowish-green spots on its back with reddish warts. It only has a single subarticular tubercle at the underside of the toes.
Habitus (CC BY-SA 3.0) Paul Bachhausen

In the city

Toads can be found in numerous habitats close to humans, such as parks, gardens, allotments, backyards, damp cellars and cemeteries. However, their preferred habitats are deciduous and mixed forests with damp soils. During the migration in the mating season, their natural habitat being cut through by roads constitutes a major hazard.

Toads feed on various garden pests such as ants, flies, slugs, gnats and woodlice.

Fun Facts

  • Males cling on to the backs of females. This reflex is very strong. One can often hear cries for release from males clasped in confusion and error.

  • In autumn, they hibernate in frost-protected burrows in the ground.

  • Into the Middle Ages, toads were considered the most ugly animals of creation.

  • All European amphibians are specially protected and may not be captured, injured or killed.

  • Endangerment level Germany: not endangered

  • In defence, they emit poisonous glandular secretions which can irritate human mucous membranes.

Jungtier (CC BY-SA 3.0) André Karwath aka Aka

Sources

Paar während der Wanderung, Christian Fischer, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:BufoBufoAmplexus.jpg

Habitus , Paul Bachhausen, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Erdkroete_Bufo_bufo_bufo,_NRW_(Paul_Bachhausen_09010074-bufo_bufo).jpg

Jungtier, André Karwath aka Aka, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Datei:Common_Toad_-_young_(aka).jpg

Thiesmeier, B. (2015) Amphibien bestimmen - am Land und im Wasser, Bielefeld: Laurenti-Verlag.

Page „Erdkröte“. : Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Date of last revision: 12.04.2016, 13:53 UTC. URL: https://de.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Erdkr%C3%B6te&oldid=153410637 (Accessed: 11.05.2016).

Gebel, M. (2014) Erdkröte (Bufo bufo), URL: http://www.amphibien-reptilien.com/info-erdkroete.html (Accessed: 05.08.2016).

Kwet, A. (2015) Reptilien und Amphibien Europas. 250 Arten mit Verbreitungskarten, Stuttgart: Franckh Kosmos Verlag.

Blab, J. & Vogel, H. (2002) Amphibien und Reptilien erkennen und schützen, München: BLV.

Glandt, D. (2008) Heimische Amphibien: Bestimmen – Beobachten – Schützen, Wiebelsheim: AULA-Verlag.

Glandt, D. (2015) Die Amphibien und Reptilien Europas, Wiebelsheim: Quelle & Meyer Verlag.

Bundesfachausschuss Feldherpetologie/Ichthyofaunistik im NABU (n.d.) Rote Listen, URL: Bundesfachausschuss Feldherpetologie/Ichthyofaunistik im NABU (n.d.) Rote Listen, URL: http://www.amphibienschutz.de/schutz/artenschutz/roteliste/deutschland.htm (Accessed: 26.07.2016). (Accessed: 26.07.2016).