Seasonal changes in the migratory behaviour of the toad Bufo bufo: direction and magnitude of movements

Summary The migratory behaviour of the toad Bufo bufo was studied from February 1985 to April 1986 in the submontane region of Bavaria, West Germany. Toads were fitted with a mechanical tracking device to record individual paths of migration. Three aspects of migratory behaviour were quantified: orientation in relation to the breeding site, straightness of path, and locomotory activity. The annual activity period began with migration from the hibernation sites to the breeding pond in April. The paths went straight towards the breeding pond independent of the distance (70–420 m). During the period of oviposition the preference for the breeding site direction vanished and toads moved away from the breeding pond, but in less straight paths than before. In summer migratory activity decreased considerably and was restricted to small areas, the home ranges, at distances of 55–1600 m from the natal breeding pond. The straightness of path was rather low, because toads often returned to their starting points. During rainy nights toads occasionally left their home ranges for extensive excursions. In autumn most toads again migrated towards the breeding pond, but paths were significantly less straight and direct than in spring. However, toads stopped before reaching the breeding pond and hibernated in holes or under the leaf layer. The mortality rate of tracked toads was about 45%. The relative influence of 17 environmental variables on locomotory activity was evaluated by principal component analysis and stepwise multiple regression. Temperature at night and rainfall variables accounted for significant amounts of variance, whereas temperature by day, air humidity, and atmospheric pressure showed no correlation. Activity decreased if temperature approached 0° C or after long periods without rainfall. Within a certain range of tolerance, however, the locomotory activity of the toads was widely independent of environmental factors, indicating that endogeneous factors are more important sources of variation in the migratory behaviour of these toads than commonly assumed.