Eastern Spadefoot Toad

Scaphiopus holbrooki holbrooki

The Eastern Spadefoot Toad (Scaphiopus holbrookii), a common toad of the southeastern United States, gets its name from a sharp-edged tubercle on the inner edge of each hind foot. Maturing from an egg to a “toadlet” in just two weeks, the unassuming toad sits quietly in a burrow until a heavy rain triggers a breeding frenzy. It congregates with other Spadefoots in puddles of water to belt out a deafening chorus that can be heard half a mile away.