Midwife Toad

Male midwife toads are famous for their unique parenting style, where they wrap strings of fertilized eggs around their own hind legs. They carry these eggs for several weeks to keep them safe from predators and prevent them from drying out. When the eggs are ready to hatch, the male transports them to a suitable body of water.

Midwife toads belong to the genus Alytes and are naturally distributed across Europe and parts of North Africa. The most well-known species, the Common Midwife Toad (Alytes obstetricans), can be found in countries like France, Spain, and Germany. They prefer to hide under stones or in burrows during the day and become active at night.

Unlike the deep croaks of many frogs, the male midwife toad produces a high-pitched, pleasant, ringing call that sounds like a tiny flute. This call is often described as a clear "poo...poo...poo" sound, which can be heard mostly at night during their breeding season. They emit this sound from their hiding spots to attract females.

Midwife toads are entirely insectivorous, relying on a diet of small terrestrial invertebrates. They use their sticky tongues to capture prey such as beetles, ants, flies, and caterpillars. Because they are nocturnal, they do most of their foraging on land during the nighttime hours.