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American Toad
Anaxyrus americanus
 
Identification: Size 2-3.5 inches (record 4.4 inches).  A medium sized toad ranging in color from light tan to brick red.  Skin dry and warty.  Dark spots on back contain only 1-2 warts per spot.  The parotoid glands (large poison glands on back of the head) do not touch cranial crests (raised ridges on back of the head) or if they do touch it is only by a connecting spur.

Voice: Call is a long high musical trill on one pitch.  Calling usually begins in February and peaks in March.  We have heard them call through July, particularly at higher elevations.

Habitat: Commonly found in backyards, gardens and cultivated fields.  Breeds in temporary puddles, the edges of lakes or ponds and streams.

Range: Occurs statewide from the western Coastal Plain to the summit of Clingman's Dome in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park at an elevation of 6,643 feet.