| Common Toad (Bufo bufo (Linnaeus, 1758)) |
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Scientific name: Bufo bufo (Linnaeus, 1758) Common name: Common Toad French name: Crapaud commun Order: Anura Family: Bufonidae Size: 11 to 13 cm for the female, 5 to 8 cm for the male. Habitat: Various habitat with a preference for dry areas with dense vegetation. It buries itself underground during the day to resist to dry conditions. This is a land species which only goes into water during the reproduction period. Food: The common toad eats insects and earthworms, mainly during the night. Reproduction: The common toad migrates to ponds where mating happens. The female releases two long strings with 3000 to 4000 eggs. They hatch as small black tadpoles. At the beginning of summer the tadpoles become black toadlets. Geographic area: All Europe up to the Pole circle and central Asia. |
The back of the Common toad varies in colour with a greyish green predominant colour. The underside is paler. It is pink between the legs. The eye's pupil is an horizontal slit surrounded by a copper-colored/golden iris. The body is pustular with glands which can inflame the skin by contact. |
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I've got, in my garden, a 4 meters long and 2 meters wide pond. I can observe a specific wildlife and particularly common toads during the mating period. |
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My attention was attracted by hearing croaking. Here are common toads mating. We can see two males (smaller) and one female (paler). I will soon have tadpoles in my pond. |
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I am used to obvserving Common Toads near the house early night or early morning, like here on the terrace. |
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Juvenile Common Toad crossing the meadow in my garden. |
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I have found this Common Toad trapped inside a watering can. I have helped it to walk out and I have observed it crossing the lawn at very low speed. |
André Bon October 2011