Common Toad (Bufo bufo)

OTHER NAMES: European Toad, Toad

Latin Etymology: Bufo ("toad") bufo ("toad")

Juvenile Common Toad (subspecies B. b. bufo) at Barnet, London - June 2014

Featured Subspecies: Bufo bufo bufo
Weight: 80g  /  Length: 15cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern

By far the more common of the UK's two species of Toad, the Common Toad is widespead, although as it is far more land based than the other common amphibians in the UK and is active at night a lot of the time, it can be harder to track down than it should be.  They spend far less of their lives in the water compared to Common Frogs, and walk rather than hop.

Related Species:
Order: Anura
Family: Bufonidae
Genus: Bufo
SUBSPECIES: B. b. bufo, B. b. gredosicola, B. b. spinosis

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - Common resident.

 - Seen at a number of locations including Geddington and Barnet

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto,  .

Natterjack Toad (Epidalea calamita)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Epidalea (?) calamita ("compass needle/lodestone")

Tadpoles of Natterjack Toad (Epidalea calamita) at Holme Dunes, Norfolk - May 2024

Featured Subspecies: N/A
Weight: 4-19g  /  Length: 6-7cm
UK STATUS NOT EVALUATED/ IUCN Red List: Least Concern

A rare specialist of dunes and heathland, the Natterjack Toad in the UK is confined mainly to coastal dunes in Norfolk and the North West of England. Stubbier legged than the Common Toad and with a distinctive yellow stripe down the back, they are also noted for having extremely loud breeding calls which in good weather conditions can be heard from a mile away.

Related Species:
Order: Anura
Family: Bufonidae
Genus: Epidalea
SUBSPECIES: none - monotypic 

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - Rare and extremely local
 - Tadpoles een at Holme Dunes in May 2024 .

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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American Toad (Anaxyrus americanus)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Anaxyrus ("chief") americanus ("American") 

Young American Toad (Anaxyrus americanus) at Minnesota, USA - July 2024

Featured Subspecies: Anaxyrus americanus americanus
Weight: 21g  /  Length: 5-9cm 
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

The American Toad is the common Toad species of the Eastern United States. They have variable coloured skin tone ranging on habitat, humidity, stress and temperature. They possess Bufotoxin to deter predators, which can be toxic enough to cause serious harm to smaller animals and irritating to humans. 

Related Species:
Order: Anura
Family: Bufonidae
Genus: Anaxyrus
SUBSPECIES: A. a. americanus, A. a. charlesmithi, A. a. copei

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED STATES - Found throughout the North Eastern USA
 - CHICAGO TO ALASKA ROADTRIP 2024: Seen in Minnesota and Illinois

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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European Green Toad (Bufotes viridis)

OTHER NAMES: Green Toad
Latin Etymology: Bufotes ("toad-like") viridis ("green")

 European Green Toad (Bufotes viridis) at Side, Antalya, Turkey - April 2025

Featured Subspecies: Bufotes viridis sitibundus
Weight: 75g  /  Length: 10cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

A small toad with a distinctive tan with green splotches appearance, originally considered a much larger species but has now been split into up to 15 species, althoguh even this is inconsistant, for instance here, the substpecies sitibundus is refered to as both subspecies of Green Toad and a full species of the variable green toad.  This was one of a pair of individuals found under a discarded plastic sheet on the dunes near Side.

Related Species:
Order: Anura
Family: Bufonidae
Genus: Bufotes
SUBSPECIES: B. v. balearicus, B. v. dionysi, B. v. sitibundus, B. v. viridis

 - Sighting Locations -

Turkish:Gece kurbağası ("Night Toad")
 - ANTALYA 2025 TRIP - Two found near Side

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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Cane Toad (Rhinella marina)

OTHER NAMES: Giant Toad, Giant Neotropical Toad, Marine Toad
Latin Etymology: Rhinella ("little nose") marina ("marine")

Adult Cane Toad (Rhinella marina) at Tarcoles, Costa Rica - November 2025

Featured Subspecies: N/A
Weight: 1.5-2kg  /  Length: 10-24cm 
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

The largest of the Bufonidae, the Cane toad is so named because it was introduced to sugar cane plantations to eat pests that could harm the crops. It is perhaps most infamous asone of the most infamous invasive species in the world with populations being established in the Caribbean, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Hawai'i and most infamously, Australia with a devastating affect on various species of local wildlife, both that it eats, and that try to eat it but are vulnerable to its toxins.
 
Related Species: 
Order: Anura
Family: Bufonidae
Genus: Rhinella
SUBSPECIES: none - monotypic 
 
- Sighting Locations -

COSTA RICA 
A common and widespread resident
- COSTA RICA 2025 TRIP: Seen at Tarcoles and Alajuela

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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