Dear Virginia Birders and Herpers.
I thought you might be able to help me with this.
While checking the tiny pool here on campus for
amphibians I found five toads dead in the water
with varying degrees of disembowelment. Knowing
that toads secrete the toxin from their parotid
glands this surprised me. Looking more closely I
saw that all except one was on its back and
missing its hind legs. The other was pretty
rotten but looked like it was just crunched up
with holes in it all over as if something had
taken a couple bites and then dropped it in
disgust. My guess is that some predator has
learned to avoid the dorsum of the toad and
concentrate on the hind legs. I found no tracks
on the shore. Any idea of what the predator might
be?
Raccoon? Fox? (These have been seen at this pool)
Otter? (Have been seen downstream and they wander
far)
Red-shouldered hawk? (I know they like frogs.)
Red-tailed Hawk? (The latter was perched in trees
over the pool when I arrived.)
Thanks
Fred
Frederick D. Atwood fredatwood@xxxxxxxxx
Flint Hill School, 10409 Academic Dr, Oakton, VA 22124
703-242-1675
http://www.agpix.com/fredatwood
http://www.flinthill.org
http://tea.armadaproject.org/tea_atwoodfrontpage.html
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