Epidalea calamita
Silhouette: Michael Scroggie, from original photograph by Gary M. Stolz, USFWS (original photograph in public domain). · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~30%
The natterjack toad (Epidalea calamita) is a toad native to sandy and heathland areas of Europe. Adults are 60–70 mm (2.4–2.8 in) in length, and are distinguished from common toads by a yellow line down the middle of the back and parallel paratoid glands. They have relatively short legs, which gives them a distinctive gait, contrasting with the hopping movement of many other toad species.
Natterjacks have a very loud and distinctive mating call amplified by the single vocal sac found under the chin of the male. Natterjacks live for up to 15 years, and feed mainly on insects, especially beetles. At night, they move around open terrain with sparse vegetation, and their tracks can often be seen in loose sand. They move considerable distances each night, enabling the species to colonize new habitats shut up.
The natterjack toad spawns between the end of April and July, laying strings of eggs in shallow, warm pools. Because the natterjack toad is often present in low numbers, its loud mating calls are important so that the sexes can find each other.
Natterjacks can only spawn in pools that have a very slightly sloping bottom, and tolerate only sparse... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Doñana National Park | 🇪🇸 Spain | |
| 2 | Monfragüe National Park | 🇪🇸 Spain | |
| 3 | Sierra de Guadarrama National Park | 🇪🇸 Spain | |
| 4 | Wadden Sea National Park | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 5 | Sierra Nevada National Park | 🇪🇸 Spain | |
| 6 | Cévennes National Park | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 7 | Camargue | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 8 | Pyrénées National Park | 🇫🇷 France |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Copenhagen Zoo | 🇩🇰 Denmark | |
| 2 | Lisbon Oceanarium | 🇵🇹 Portugal | |
| 3 | Knuthenborg Safaripark | 🇩🇰 Denmark | |
| 4 | The Living Planet Aquarium | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Universeum | 🇸🇪 Sweden |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Natterjack Toad sighting in Berlin on a given day, based on 16 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 7th most-seen of the 8 amphibians we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 30%, if each day is a fresh chance.
April to July
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Natterjack Toad in Berlin on a given day, against under 5% in August to March, the lowest months.
Between 9 pm and midnight
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Natterjack Toad sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 pm and 6 am: it is mostly seen at night.
4th of 5
Of the 5 cities where we can rate Natterjack Toad sightings, Berlin ranks 4th at under 5%. The best odds are in Madrid (Spain, about 20%), Barcelona (Spain, about 10%) and Essen (Germany, about 10%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Natterjack Toad is recorded against all the amphibians logged in Berlin (16 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
