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Great Plains Toad
Bufo cognatus
45.8613, -108.928
Field Notes
Description:
A prince of a toad ~ about 1 4/5" to 4 1/2" cranial crests diverge widely towards the rear united at the snout. Inner tubercle on each hind foot usually sharpe edged. Generally olive green light brown with dusky, olive or green blotches; sometimes a narrow middorsal stripe; Whitish below
Habitat:
Inhabits Prairie's and deserts ~ breeding after heavy rains in Summer in shallow temporary pools or quite water of streams, marshes, irrigations ditches, flooded fields, heck they'll do it anywhere. Primarily a Grassland species but comfy in desert creosote or sages.
Mostly nocturnal. Proficient burrower. Breeds Feb - Sept. Ranging from Sea level to 8000' right in the middle of middleAmerica.
Notes:
While out shore-birding we turned onto a dirt road headed to Half-breed Nat'l Wildlife Reserve... when all we could see was hundreds and hundreds of toads all hopping right at us... We defended ourselves as best we could, they just kept coming, so we had to get out of the car and do this toadally fun toad shuffle moving them safely to the sides of the toad road. It was a genetic eruption not all that uncommon with toads... we had had heavy rains; and two days earlier i had one hopping in my backyard in the middle of mid city Billings, MT ! i was shocked ~ come to find 8 more GPT's ~ so i built Toad Pools for them to fornicate in...but what i really love about them is their melodious pinning, Very Earthy and sensuous ... but now, the choir is barely humming as they get ready for that long siesta.
The larger looking toad ~ hand held was the largest, no doubt a breeder @ 4.5" but most were small like the one trying to get away! but still all hopping the same direction>>>
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