Description
Fowler's Toad is a large yellow, green or brown toad with a
light stripe down the middle of the back and large dark blotches. It has
elongate parotid glands which contact its prominent
cranial crests. Adults can reach up to 6 cm.
Call
The call of the Fowler's Toad sounds like a crying baby or a
nasal "waaa", lasting two to five seconds.
Confusing Species
The American Toad overlaps the Canadian
distribution of the Fowler's Toad. The parotid glands of the American Toad
do not contact its cranial crests. These species occasionally hybridize.
Distribution
In Canada, Fowler's Toad is limited to a small number of locations
along the north shore of Lake Erie. It is also found in the eastern United
States.
Habitat
Fowler's Toad is found in sandy shoreline and peninsula habitat
where it breeds in backwater marshes.
Reproduction
Calling may begin in late April but breeding usually occurs
in May when evening temperatures are above 14oC. The breeding
season may be interrupted by cool weather resulting in groups of tadpoles
born, and completing metamorphosis at different times during the summer.
Over 6000 eggs may be laid by each female. At cool temperatures, tadpole
development is a bit slower than that of the American Toad.
Natural history
Fowler's Toads are preyed upon by garter snakes, water snakes
and raccoons. Maturity may be reached as young as one year but normally
takes two years. Individuals up to four years old have been found in the
wild.
Conservation Concerns
Fowler's Toads rely on early successional shoreline habitats
which are both created and destroyed by severe storms. As a result their
populations fluctuate substantially, but there is no evidence for an overall
declining trend. The species is considered vulnerable in Canada by COSEWIC.
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