American Toad vs Common Tern

Anaxyrus americanus compared with Sterna hirundo

Key Differences

• American Toad is Least Concern while Common Tern is Endangered.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	American Toad	Common Tern
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Amphibia (Amphibians)	Aves (Birds)
Order	Anura (Frogs & Toads)	Charadriiformes (Charadriiformes)
Family	Bufonidae	Laridae
Genus	Anaxyrus	Sterna
Species	Anaxyrus americanus	Sterna hirundo

Evolutionary Relationship

American Toad and Common Tern share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Chordata. (Chordates)

Conservation Status

American Toad

LC — Least Concern

Common Tern

EN — Endangered

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	American Toad	Common Tern
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

American Toad

Habitat

Typically found in freshwater habitats, moist forests, and wetlands.

Range

Found in United States.

Common Tern

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests, flooded grasslands and savannas, and montane grasslands and shrublands, among 9 distinct biome types spanning the Neotropic and Palearctic realms. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Widely distributed across Europe (7 countries), North America (United States), and South America (Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela). Currently classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

American Toad

The American Toad (Anaxyrus americanus) is a species in the genus Anaxyrus. It is currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in freshwater habitats, moist forests, and wetlands.

Common Tern

Common Tern (Sterna hirundo) is classified as Endangered (EN) on the IUCN Red List. At high risk of extinction in the wild, with significant population decline and ongoing threats to survival.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 1 countries:

🇺🇸 United States