American Toad, Southern Toad & Fowler's Toad, How to Tell Them Apart

[@KoawNature]

Again, big thanks to Ty for taking the time to show his specimens and clear this up! Our herping adventure will be released in the next couple of weeks.

[@-8_8-]

How does one become credentialed as a naturalist?

[@BioBush]

It's so interesting to see someone who is obviously an expert in their field and sharing hard-won information so clearly. This applies to both of you. Thanks for assembling and sharing this information!

[@KoawNature]

You're the same way with your channel! It's all about spreading that knowledge.

[@dnap0lymerase171]

Watching this is much easier than simply reading about trait descriptions & seeing a few pictures. I love the close ups & side by sides showing the differentiations. Great quality & information.

[@KoawNature]

Yeah, that's why Ty and I put this one together. We also felt that the field guides didn't quite help the reader visualize all of it. Thanks for watching!

[@dnap0lymerase171]

@@KoawNature Thank you for posting, I really cannot overstate how helpful this video was. I’m excited to explore the channel more.

[@stephaniebach__12-24]

They're so cute! I love toads.. we have American and Fowlers in our backyard

[@SockyNoob]

Southern toads come in so many different colors and patterns that you can legit mistake them for American or Fowler's toads! Thankfully my area in South Mississippi has a very large population of southern toads, so 90% of the time that's what it is. Excellent video regardless, I'll be posting this in our state's naturalist groups.

[@bonitajones433]

Keep on hopping hoppy. Bonita Ann Marie. Used to play with these when I was little.

[@Manda_Kat]

Toads are my passion, thank you for this video

[@KoawNature]

That's great. Toads are awesome creatures. Cheers!

[@KatySwiere]

So helpful! Thank you :) One thing I might have also enjoyed would be comparing their calls - do they sound different or similar?

[@KoawNature]

Thanks Katy! Actually Ty just launched a herping website with ID guides and calls. www.herpingva.org/frogs.html

[@sarahlarson8226]

Great video! Never knew I’d find toads so fascinating. Question: are the warts on toads the same as the warts on people-an infection in the top layer of the skin caused by viruses?

[@KoawNature]

Thanks Sarah. Nope, they aren't the warts like humans get. The warts on toads contain glands that sometimes contain chemicals that are released when they feel threatened.

[@jerrydease1459]

So helpful! 😩👏🏽👏🏽 Thanks!

[@KoawNature]

You're welcome Jerry! Glad we could help ya out.

[@RapidScience]

Super interesting video! Quite informative!

[@KoawNature]

Thanks much Rapid Science!

[@samanthabusch750]

I think mine are fowler but they only have one wart in each spot they both have 4 dark spots with one wart in each one i just dont have any idea

[@LayneWilson]

This was a great video I found it very informative. I like the Americans color. Interesting how you pointed out hybrids I would have never thought about that but I guess thats one way nature gives us new species.

[@KoawNature]

Glad you enjoyed it Layne! Typically hybridization isn't a way new species come about, in most cases, but it is a common way genes from different species may get passed into one line of species which then might influence speciation.

[@nijahgates5253]

Thank you for helping me learn the differences!

[@KoawNature]

You're very welcome Nijah! Thanks for checking it out.

[@jibberoverjava]

I have a question I can't find an answer to anywhere on the internet... If a captive female toad has no mate is she able to ovipositor eggs on her own? If so can she do it on land or does she require water? Will she reabsorb them and if so is there any harm to her when she does? I'd be so grateful for an answer, thank you.

[@swayback7375]

Gosh… I’m in Central Kentucky, my grandma used to have toads in her garden roughly 50 years ago, I’ve never seen one here but a quick drive in any direction and you can find toads… I’ve found and caught hundreds of them in my life but I’ve never been 100% sure what species, after watching this… I’m still not sure! 🤣 Great vid with great visuals! Since I’m used to seeing toads with at least some spots on the belly I can guess pretty well, but now I can look at the right traits and hopefully ID them. I just found a stunner that’s quite orange/red with a dark stripe running the belly and other weird color markings (weird for my area at least), it’s a juvie too so I’m thinking it will color up more in the future. Thanks, subbed

[@KoawNature]

Appreciate your sharing SwayBack. Yeah, toads are tricky to ID. But I do appreciate all the variation.

[@matthewlarue1883]

What about a toad with blueish coloration around the side of the heads. Its a small toad but its because I raised them from tadpoles. I released them and noticed the color on some of them. They were different tadpole rescued from drying up pools. Has anyone seen a toad with this coloration. I have not, and the next time I run across them I will catch one.

[@KoawNature]

Blue on the toad? Where did you find 'em? It could just be a morph in how they show pigment. Not sure, sorry!

[@matthewlarue1883]

@@KoawNature it was in Arkansas, by devils canyon. There were actually a few of these toad babies with blue around the sides of the head and neck. Almost a cobalt blue, and I have never seen this coloration on a toad before. We collected about 40 from this area and 31 out of the 40 survived and out of the 31, about 4 of them looked different than the others which were American toads and a few dwarf American toads. We grew them in our pond and released them back into a few different spots. We released the blue ones and a few dwarfs in the backyard by the pond and shed area. The rest we released by a small seasonal creek. If I see them again I am gonna catch one and take some pictures and perhaps the toads themselves to someone who could help identify it. Be cool if it was a new species or something. Lol. More than likely probably just like you said.

[@KoawNature]

@@matthewlarue1883 Well if you do find some more be sure to post those photos on iNaturalist and tag "@tysmith" 'cause he'd definitely know what to make of 'em.

[@matthewlarue1883]

@@KoawNature I will for sure, I wish I would of kept one. Also I have been actively searching for them and have not seen them yet. Probably because of the heat lately. I actually haven't seen any frogs lately with the 100+ heat index. Lol. Probably need to set me up a go pro at night with a little light to attract some bugs and leave out some water, because my pond is too high for them to get to.

[@sanjukivlogs]

nice chenal bro full support ok new friend from india

[@KoawNature]

Appreciate that! Lots of good close-ups of animals on your channel. Keep it up!

[@minimalista7762]

Do they all make the same sounds?

[@Jh46282]

Here in Illinois we got Fowlers and American toads

[@KoawNature]

Yup. I think one of the American's I showed in this video I found in Illinois.

[@MartyCalabrese]

Toad ID...love it! That was GREAT.

[@KoawNature]

Glad you enjoyed it Marty!

[@BjornFjellstad]

Toads are just as nice as frogs. The only exception is when one introduce a foreign species where it doesn't belong, like they did with the Cane Toad in Australia.

[@KoawNature]

Oh yeah. The cane toad invasion in Australia remains a model of what an invasive species is!

[@TristanScience]

This video is so helpful! Thank you for going into such detail!🐸

[@KoawNature]

Glad it was helpful Tristan Science!

[@johnbutler5650]

Fowlers have a much judgier look on their faces. Just an independent observation.

[@KoawNature]

Haha, I do like that. I'm not sure I've seen 'judgier' used in any scientific descriptions but...it sure fits.

[@stephaniebach__12-24]

I think I see what you mean

[@animalnerd6121]

The southern toads down here in flordia have huge knobs

[@chelseablackmon6433]

What do I do if I'm struggling to tell what my toad is

[@KoawNature]

Hey Chelsea, if you haven't heard of iNaturalist.org then I suggest you check it out. You can post (for free) photos of your observations. Usually someone will offer a helpful ID. I suggest you tag another user that has a lot of IDs on that species.

[@AfterAllWeAreHuman]

Woodhouse and fowlers are very identical especially the call

[@KoawNature]

Yeah, it must be hard trying to ID near range overlaps.

[@itsamber5785]

Yo ty is my cousin :D I was suprised to see him on youtube. You should do a video on snakes with him in it :D

[@KoawNature]

That's cool Amber! I'm sure Ty and I will collaborate in the future. Hopefully it'll be on snakes!

[@kimuseni]

Thank you

[@KoawNature]

Welcome! Thanks for watching.

[@xX_wiLLiam_Xx]

is a southern toad the same thing as a texas toad?

[@KoawNature]

Hey wiLLiam. A Texas toad (Anaxyrus speciosus) is a different species than a southern toad. The Texas toad is really only found in Texas, New Mexico and Mexico and has a more oval parotoid gland. The southern toad is as far east as Louisiana, goes into Florida and up into the southern parts of Virginia. Cheers!

[@xX_wiLLiam_Xx]

@@KoawNature thanks

[@newt1650]

@@KoawNatureany visual differences in a Texas vs. Southern Toad?

[@tigarforever]

Mating calls? You have a video on that?

[@KoawNature]

Nah, sorry. But I do have some resources you could check out. www.virginiaherpetologicalsociety.com/ has most calls under their frog section. Also, on www.inaturalist.org/ you can filter observations of the species with "Has sounds" to hear. Hope that helps.

[@tigarforever]

@@KoawNature That's okay, I found what I was looking for....Eastern Narrowmouth Toads.

[@allyc4t39]

Amazing video

[@KoawNature]

Thanks Ally C4t!

[@reagraves0516]

I just recently adopted a couple of toads and had NO CLUE which species they were. Even though I know care is pretty similar, it still bothered me not fully knowing what they were. Now I do, and they're living their best life!

[@KoawNature]

Glad you know what species you have and you're treating 'em well. Cheers!

[@sprig.sprout]

Omg I thought they were models until he showed us the belly 😂

[@allyc4t39]

I just found a fowler toad and an American toad in my back yard!! 2 different kinds in one night. They seemed to be friends. Is that possible? Best way to care for them? Any risks to humans after touching?

[@KoawNature]

Hey Ally. Well to answer your first question: I suppose it's possible they could be friends but that is a topic of animal behavior that is very complicated and probably not even studied. If you plan on keeping them temporarily, it's best to release them no more than 2 or 3 weeks after you got 'em; in the same spot you found 'em. A small terrarium will do fine. You'll need a lid on the tank, hiding places, a water source and the tank should often be moistened. Really, you can find a lot of good sources on the web for care of toads. Thirdly, these species may release a toxic substance when you handle them but it usually doesn't irritate most people. Some people do get skin irritation.

[@allyc4t39]

@@KoawNature thank you so much!! I just meant to say, like can they cohabitate 😀 but me & the hubby got a kick out of your response. You guys are so analytical and smart!! Way to go guys!! We have released the male fowler and are keeping the male American for a week or so for our daughter. The American is super chill & the fowler was bouncing off the walls like you said haha

[@allyc4t39]

Btw we are in roanoke Virginia 🥰

[@KoawNature]

@@allyc4t39 Haha, I'm sorry for that. I overanalyzed that one a bit. Yes they could cohabitate. Hope y'all enjoy the new friend for a bit!

[@SockyNoob]

Honestly hate how one of the species is called the American toad when literally the whole family is called American toads.

[@noraraeafm]

I didn't realize how tiny fowlers are 😭

[@KoawNature]

Yup. Pretty rare to find a very large one.

[@noraraeafm]

@@KoawNature I ended up getting two rhinella granulosa since watching this video and now I'm hooked on the tiny toads lol

[@KoawNature]

@@noraraeafm Oh, granular toads. Very nice! Enjoy your new company!