An adult American Toad from Cherokee County, Kansas. Photograph by Suzanne L. Collins, The Center for North American Herpetology.

Routes Observed Map: (clickable) Note: The map does not depict the actual range of the American Toad in Kansas.

Species Description:
Grows to over 4.5 inches long. A well known toad within eastern Kansas of yard and garden. One of the most common toads in eastern Kansas, but easily confused with the Woodhouse's Toad, with which it occaisionally hybridizes. Can be typically distinguished from other Kansas toads by possessing a relatively heavily belly and only one wart per dorsal spot. They are active at night, and remain hidden during the day.

Call Description:
Advertisement call is a long musical trill lasting from several seconds to 30 seconds or more (average duration around 10-15 seconds). Each male in a chorus sings at a slightly different pitch (1500-2000Hz). When mounted, males respond with distinctive release calls: throaty squeaks or chirps, often quickly repeated. Breeds in spring, April to June.

<A HREF="calls/2.mp3">[Play Call]</A>
Audio recording by Keith Coleman
Available from Kansas Heritage Photography

Route (County) Observed:
003 (Linn), 005 (Linn), 006 (Labette), 011 (Shawnee), 012 (Linn), 013 (Jefferson), 116 (Marion), 117 (Douglas, Osage), 118 (Miami), 126 (Allen, Neosho), 208 (Wabaunsee), 217 (Douglas), 225 (Greenwood), 226 (Cherokee), 227 (Cherokee), 307 (Pottawatomie), 317 (Coffey), 326 (Montgomery), 416 (Chase), 417 (Coffey), 509 (Leavenworth), 516 (Greenwood), 517 (Coffey), 526 (Crawford), 527 (Bourbon)