Bufo bufo - Common Toad

This is a common toad. These drowsy-looking amphibians are frequently seen by the waterside in shady places during the mating season in April and May. For the rest of the year they tend to move away from the waterside and are far more comfortable in dry surroundings than frogs are.

The pair of toads shown above were photographed while on their journey to a pond in the spring. The smaller, darker toad is the male.

Unlike frogs, whose spawn appears in large masses, toads leave long ribbons of spawn in shallow water. Their tadpoles are very similar to those of frogs but they usually emerge from the water after heavy rain in late summer rather than in spring.

Most toads are brown or olive-brown, but you may occasionally see a brick-red young toad; it will become much browner as it matures.

Toads move more slowly than frogs, and they tend to feed more at night, when the small creatures they prey upon are less able to escape.

Their warty appearance suggests that toads live a long time - and in fact they can do. In captivity they outlive most other pets (and often their owners!).

Natterjack toads

The other native toad species you may encounter in Britain is the natterjack toad. It is smaller than the common toad and has a distinctive yellow stripe down the middle of its back. This rare species is now strictly protected by wildlife legislation. It is restricted to a few colonies in sandy areas, mainly along the coast.

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