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Woodhouse’s Toad

(Bufo woodhousii)

Identification: Upper side yellowish brown, grayish, or olive, with asymmetrical pattern of small dark spots that generally contain 1–2 warts; typically a light stripe along middle of back; distinct ridge bordering inside and rear margin of each eye, the ridges being more or less parallel between the eyes; glandular lump, about twice as long as wide, behind each eye; head and body length up to about 12.7 cm (5 inches); females grow much larger than males. Mature male: during breeding season, throat dark and dark patches present on inner surfaces of first and second toes of front feet; expanded vocal sac spherical or slightly elongated.   Juvenile: light stripe down middle of back inconspicuous or absent; usually some warts reddish; often misidentified as red-spotted toad.

Breeding call : A loud “waaaaaah” lasting about 1–4 seconds and emitted up to several times per minute.

Larvae: Upper side brown or dark gray, often with light mottling/dense gold flecking; head narrow when viewed from above (snout end more pointed and overall body shape more triangular than in red-spotted toad); belly gold with black mottling; eyes high on head; fins mainly clear with sparse pigment flecks, more in upper fin than in lower fin; muscular part of tail dark with light mottling/gold flecking, pale along lower margin; usually 2 rows of tiny teeth on upper lip, 3 rows on lower lip; up to about 35 mm (1.4 inches) long.

Eggs: deposited in a single or double row within a long strings of single-layer jelly; laid in shallow water, often become tangled in submerged vegetation.

Colorado Distribution: Statewide at elevations below 7,000 feet, to around 8,000 feet in the San Luis Valley. Common.   

Habitat: Associated primarily with deep soils in river valleys and floodplains, including irrigated agricultural areas. Burrows into soil to escape drought and cold.    

Life History: Breeds primarily from April through June, in marshes, rain pools, ponds, lakes, reservoirs, flooded areas, stream backwaters, and other shallow waters lacking a strong current.  Larvae metamorphose into tiny toads about 4-7 weeks after the eggs were laid, sometimes as early as late May or early June.