# Common Toad (*Bufo bufo*) > The common toad (Bufo bufo) is a stout, warty-skinned amphibian found across Europe, including throughout Britain. It lives in woodland, grassland, and gardens, sheltering by day and hunting insects, worms, and slugs by night, moving with a slow crawl or short hops rather than the long leaps of a frog. Adults reach 8 to 13 cm long and weigh 20 to 80 g, and they can live 10 to 12 years in the wild. - **Category:** Amphibian - **Conservation status (IUCN):** Least Concern - **Range:** Woodlands, grasslands, and gardens across Europe, western Asia, and northwest Africa. - **Canonical page:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/common-toad/ - **Last reviewed:** 2026-07-16 ## Scientific classification - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Amphibia - **Order:** Anura - **Family:** Bufonidae - **Genus:** Bufo ## Facts at a glance | Attribute | Value | | --- | --- | | Scientific name | Bufo bufo | | Diet | Carnivore (insects, worms, slugs) | | Habitat | Woodland, grassland, and gardens near ponds | | Lifespan | 10–12 years in the wild | | Length | 8–13 cm (3–5 in) body length | | Weight | 20–80 g (0.7–2.8 oz) | | Conservation status | Least Concern (IUCN) | ## How to recognise a common toad The common toad has dry, warty skin in shades of brown, olive, and grey, quite unlike the smooth, moist skin of a frog. It sits in a hunched posture with a broad head, copper-coloured eyes with horizontal pupils, and short legs. Behind each eye sits a swollen parotoid gland that produces a bitter, mildly toxic secretion to deter predators. Rather than leaping, it usually crawls or makes small hops, which is one of the easiest ways to tell it from a frog. ## Diet and hunting Common toads are night-time carnivores with a broad appetite for garden invertebrates. Insects, earthworms, slugs, snails, and spiders form the core of the diet, and larger toads will tackle sizeable prey. They hunt by sitting and waiting, then flicking out a sticky tongue to seize anything that moves within range. Because they eat so many slugs and pest insects, gardeners often welcome them. ## Life on land Outside the breeding season the common toad is a land animal that avoids drying out by staying hidden during the day. It shelters under logs, stones, dense vegetation, and in old burrows, emerging at dusk to feed. Toads are creatures of habit and will often return to the same daytime refuge night after night. Through the coldest months they hibernate on land, tucked into leaf litter, compost heaps, or underground. ## The spring migration and breeding In early spring, common toads make a famous mass migration back to the pond where they were born, sometimes travelling more than a kilometre and crossing roads in large numbers. Males often ride on the larger females' backs, gripping tightly in an embrace called amplexus. Females lay their eggs in long, gelatinous strings wound around water plants, rather than in the clumps produced by frogs. The eggs hatch into black tadpoles that transform into tiny toadlets by summer. ## Defences against predators A slow-moving toad might look like easy prey, but it is well defended. The parotoid glands and skin release toxins that taste foul and can sicken a would-be predator, so many animals learn to leave toads alone. When threatened, a toad may also puff up its body and rise on its legs to look bigger. Even so, grass snakes and some birds have learned to eat them safely. ## Conservation status The common toad is listed as Least Concern by the IUCN and is still widespread across Europe, but numbers in Britain have fallen markedly in recent decades. The loss of ponds, the drying out of the countryside, and busy roads that cut across migration routes are the main threats. Volunteer 'toad patrols' help carry migrating toads safely across roads each spring. Keeping garden ponds and damp, undisturbed corners helps local populations thrive. ## Frequently asked questions ### What is the difference between a common toad and a frog? A common toad has dry, warty skin and short legs, and it crawls or hops in short movements. A frog has smooth, moist skin, longer legs, and leaps in long jumps. Toads also lay their eggs in strings, while frogs lay them in clumps of spawn. ### Are common toads poisonous? Common toads produce a bitter, mildly toxic secretion from glands behind their eyes and in their skin to deter predators. It can irritate the mouth of a pet that bites one, but toads are not dangerous to handle and pose no real threat to people. ### What do common toads eat? Common toads are carnivores that hunt at night, eating insects, earthworms, slugs, snails, and spiders. They catch prey with a quick, sticky tongue. Because they eat so many garden pests, they are considered helpful visitors by gardeners. ### Where do common toads live? Common toads live across Europe, including throughout Britain, in woodland, grassland, and gardens, usually within reach of a pond for breeding. They spend most of the year on land, sheltering under logs and stones by day and hunting at night. ### How long do common toads live? In the wild, common toads typically live 10 to 12 years, and some reach even greater ages. Their toxic skin defences help protect them from many predators, which contributes to their relatively long lifespan for an amphibian. ### Why do toads cross roads in spring? Each spring, common toads migrate back to the pond where they hatched to breed, often travelling more than a kilometre. Roads frequently cut across these ancient routes, so many toads are killed, which is why volunteer 'toad patrols' help them cross safely. ## Sources - [IUCN Red List — Bufo bufo.](https://www.iucnredlist.org/search?query=Bufo%20bufo&searchType=species) - [Animal Diversity Web — Bufo bufo. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.](https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Bufo_bufo/) - [Wikipedia — Common Toad.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_toad) --- Source: Global Animal Guide (https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/common-toad/). Licensed CC BY-NC 4.0 — free for non-commercial reuse with attribution.