A medium-sized brown toad with a distinctive nasal "WAAAAAH" call (compared to the American toad's smooth trill). They specialize in sandy soils where they can dig backwards into burrows.

Native status: Native; widespread in eastern US

§ Quick facts

SizeAdults 5.0–7.5 cm (2.0–3.0 in)
Weight20–60 g
LifespanWild 2–5 years
OrderAnura
FamilyBufonidae

§ Encyclopedia

Anaxyrus fowleri, Fowler's toad, is a species of toad in the family Bufonidae. The species is native to North America, where it occurs in much of the eastern United States and parts of adjacent Canada. It was previously considered a subspecies of Woodhouse's toad.

Source: Wikipedia — Anaxyrus fowleri Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0

§ Identification

Field marks. Brown-to-tan toad with darker spots; pale belly. Crests behind eyes; parotoid glands.

Similar species. American Toad (parallel crests). Spadefoots (smooth skin, vertical pupils).

Voice. Long musical trill of 30+ seconds (vs. American Toad's ~6-second trills).

§ Diet & behavior

Diet. Insects, slugs, snails.

Behavior. Nocturnal terrestrial. Toxic parotoid glands behind eyes. Famous for chorus on warm rainy spring nights.

§ Range

Eastern US from Massachusetts to Texas

§ Habitat

Sandy soils — coastal beaches, river floodplains, agricultural areas

§ Threats

Coastal development, pesticide drift, vehicle mortality.

§ Conservation status

According to the IUCN Red List, the fowler's toad is currently classified as Least Concern.

§ What helps

Maintain sandy meadow patches. Skip pesticides on flowering plants. Drive carefully in coastal residential areas in summer.

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§ Further reading

§ Sources cited

  • AmphibiaWeb
  • USGS ARMI
  • iNaturalist
  • IUCN Red List 2014