American Toad

American Toad

Anaxyrus americanus

Silhouette: Michael Scroggie, from original photograph by Gary M. Stolz, USFWS (original photograph in public domain). · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely
at Cape Breton Highlands National Park
87 Verified sightings at Cape Breton Highlands National Park From 2019 to 2026
1,796 Verified sightings across all 6 parks From 2019 to 2026
September Best month highest sighting rate
☀️🌙 Day & Night When it's spotted Active throughout day and night

About the American Toad

The American toad (Anaxyrus americanus) is a common species of toad found throughout the eastern half of Canada and the United States. It is divided into three subspecies: the eastern American toad (A. a. americanus), the dwarf American toad (A. a. charlesmithi) and the rare Hudson Bay toad (A. a. copei). Taxonomic treatments in 2006 placed this species in the genus Anaxyrus instead of Bufo.

A. americanus lays eggs in two long ropes of 2,000-20,000 small black eggs (1-2mm in diameter) surrounded by jelly. Egg strings are in shallow water, typically entwined around vegetation or laying on the bottom of the pond.

American Toad eggs hatch into tadpoles in 3-12 days. The hatched tadpoles, while very small, are recognizable by their skinny tails in relation to the size of their round black bodies. They reach adulthood in 50–65 days. When metamorphosis is complete, the "toadlets" may stay in the water for a short period of time before transitioning to be mostly land based. Often times, groups of tadpoles reach the toadlet stage at once and a begin a mass migration to higher ground. Typically, toadlets migrate to shaded areas in the mid-range and upland forests... Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Gros Morne National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
~80%
2 Isle Royale National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~60%
3 Cape Breton Highlands National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
~60%
4 Shenandoah National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~50%
5 Point Pelee National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
~40%
6 Acadia National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~20%

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a American Toad in Cape Breton Highlands National Park?

About 60% of wildlife watchers report a American Toad sighting in Cape Breton Highlands National Park, based on 87 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see American Toad in Cape Breton Highlands National Park?

September has the highest sighting rate for American Toad in Cape Breton Highlands National Park in our monthly data.

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