Amphibians · Anura · Bufonidae

Common Toad

Bufo bufo

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

Spotted something wrong?

It uses smell to return every year to the pond where it hatched to breed, in mass spring migrations.

Weight

up to 80 g

Size

6 cm – 18 cm

Lifespan

11 years

Diet

Carnivore

Feeds mainly on other animals.

Activity

Nocturnal

Active mainly at night.

Social structure

Solitary

Lives and hunts alone, joining others only to breed.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

Temperate forestCarnivore Nocturnal Solitary Amphibian Temperate forest

48countries 70parks7same family

Fun facts

It returns every year to the pond where it hatched, guided by smell.
Its parotoid glands produce defensive bufotoxins that can cause allergic reactions in people.
It is the largest and heaviest amphibian in the United Kingdom.
comportamientoGeneration after generation it returns to the very pond where it hatched, even when that means crossing roads and other dangerous obstacles.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (amphibian)
Habitat & environment: Woodland, gardens and damp ground of Europe, north-western Africa and much of Asia
Birth weight: Tiny on hatching as a black tadpole
Size at birth: A small dark tadpole after hatching
Sexual maturity: 3-4 years (the male generally a year before the female)
Gestation / incubation: Laid in water; 6-12 weeks of larval development up to metamorphosis
Litter / clutch size: Thousands of eggs laid in long jelly strings, not the compact masses other frogs produce
Lifespan in captivity: Documented record of up to 36-40 years in captivity

Sources consulted: A-Z Animals; Animal Corner; Animal Kingdom; National Wildlife Federation; AnAge (genomics.senescence.info); ResearchGate (body length and maturity study)