About Ohio Toads

The varied habitats offered by Ohio are home to three species of toad from two separate genera. The American toad and Fowler's toad are both from the genus bufo, more commonly known as true toads. The other native species is a member of the genus scaphiopus, or spadefoots, and is commonly known as the eastern spadefoot.

  1. Description

    • The smallest of the three toad species is the eastern spadefoot, which grows to just over 2 inches in length. It is brown to gray in color with lighter yellowish lines running along its back from just behind the eyes. It gets its name from its large shovel-like rear feet. Fowler's toad grows to just under 4 inches long and is brownish-gray to olive green in color with darker mottled spots. The largest is the American toad, which grows to over 4 inches. It is generally brownish in color with a hint of red.

    Habitat and Range

    • The American and Fowler's toads are both common throughout Ohio, while the eastern spadefoot is endangered. The spadefoot is only found in a few southern counties of the state. Fowler's toad and the spadefoot both favor sandy soil habitats in open prairies or sparse woodland as they like to burrow. The American toad is found in a variety of habitats including woodland, fields and even urban settings. Unlike the other two species, it tends to find its cover from undergrowth, woodpiles, dead logs or house porches.

    Diet and Predators

    • Ohio's three native toads are all carnivores, coming out of their daytime hiding places at night in search of food. A wide variety of insects, both aquatic and terrestrial, are included in the diet of all three species. Fowler's toad is a little more picky about what it eats, avoiding worms unlike its larger cousin the American. All three species use the same predator defense strategies of camouflage and poisonous skin secretions. Plenty of predators, however, are not affected by the toxic skin secretions and readily feed on toads including snakes, hawks, herons and raccoons.

    Life Cycle

    • The native Ohio toads all breed during the warmest months of the year and breed in shallow ponds and streams. The female toads lay eggs in long strings or in spiral tubes that the males fertilize externally as they are being laid. The spadefoot produces just a couple hundred eggs, while the American and Fowler's toads lay thousands. Hatching takes generally a few days to several weeks depending on species, and the tadpoles are on their own from birth. Once the tadpoles become adults they leave the water and live a mainly terrestrial lifestyle.