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Male and female common toads in amplexus

They are often found in amplexus on the ground, on their way to the breeding site.

(photo: Judit Vörös)

The COMMON TOAD is the largest toad species in Hungary, the females grow bigger (12-13 cm) than males (8-9 cm). Their head is wide with short, blunt nose, and flat between the eyes. The tympanic membrane is small, hard to see. Behind the eyes they have conspicuous, kidney-shaped parotoids. The toad’s skin is rough and warty. The dorsal side is reddish- or grayish brown, sometimes khaki or olive-green. The ventral side is light, white-grayish or mildly yellow with darker mottling.

During the breeding season, black nuptial pads develop on the inner surface of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd fingers of males to help climb and stay on the females.

Distibution map by our National Herpetological Mapping Program:

Male common toad

Common toads are active at night.

(photo: Judit Vörös)

Male and female common toads in amplexus

Males grab females very tightly as usually several males compete for females.

(photo: Judit Vörös)

Female common toad

Females can grow three times heavier than males. The protruding parietal glands are clearly visible in both sexes.

(photo: Judit Vörös)

Common toad portrait

Its skin is warty, covered with tubercles.

(photo: Bálint Halpern)

Common toad

There are lightly coloured individuals with a darker pattern.

(photo: Bálint Halpern)

Egg strings of the common toad

The long, double egg-strings of true toads are hardly confused with other amphibian eggs.

(photo: Tibor Kovács)

Fighting common toad males

Sometimes 8-10 ore more males grab a single female before and during egg-laying.

(photo: Tibor Kovács)

Common toad tadpoles

In summer some breeding waters are stained black by the mass of toad tadpoles.

(photo: Judit Vörös)

Common toad tadpoles

Their black, oval-shaped tadpoles feeding primary on algae.

(photo: Gábor Szelényi)