First Toads of Spring

When the weather begins to warm up, the first amphibians I hear are Chorus Frogs and Spring Peepers (see my 3/20 & 3/27 blogs).

Well, toads like it a bit warmer. The American Toad began it's mating calls about 2 weeks ago. I walked by a local pond about 8:00 PM this weekend and they are loud!
Remember, just the males call. This is a relatively small toad, about 2 -3" with a mating call that can best be described as a "trill". Want to hear?
Go to http://www.enature.com/fieldguides/detail.asp?recNum=AR0006

American Toads range south in the East to Louisiana, north through Tennessee and Kentucky, west through Indiana to ne. Kansas, and north to Canada. They can be found only in eastern Kansas.

Woodhouse Toads are the largest toads in Kansas, grow 2.5" - 4". If you're outside and see a "big, fat hop-toad" it's probably a Woodhouse. These toads like it even warmer. Typically come out several weeks after the American Toads emerge.
These toads have one of the strangest sounding calls I've heard. Reminds me of a "funny sounding baby wailing".
Listen to the Woodhouse - http://www.enature.com/fieldguides/detail.asp?recNum=AR0012

Woodhouse Toads range from e. Montana and North Dakota, south through the plains states to c. Texas, and west of the Rocky Mountains from Idaho south to Colorado and Arizona, with isolated populations in w. Texas, se. California, and the Oregon-Washington border. They are found throughout the state in Kansas.

A sure-fire way to tell them apart other than by size is look at their bellies. American's are the only toad's in Kansas with spots on their bellies. Woodhouse's like all the other Kansas species have plain white bellies.

Next blog - next week