Black Rat Snake Elaphe obsoleta Click images for enlargements and license information		AKA: pilot black snake, black snake Identifying characteristics: Large with black body with white chin and light underbelly. Similar to the Northern Black Racer. Size: Average adult length of 4-6 feet, with records of some reaching 8 feet. The largest snake in North America. Habitat: Prefers wooded areas (are considered good climbers) but can be found in rocky areas as well as grassland. Food: Carnivorous constrictor. Primarily small birds, eggs and mammals with preference to rodents. Known to consume nearly anything placed in front of it. Temperament:  docile Other Info.:  Not considered venomous, but have a painful bite. Handle with caution. Lay eggs. When confronted by humans or predators, tend to freeze as is or coil up and freeze.		Distribution Scattered across the finger lakes and eastern NY Status: Common
Common Garter Snake Thamnophis sirtalis Click images for enlargements and license information		Identifying characteristics: Brown checkerboard body with pattern of yellow or cream stripes running the length of the body. The color varies depending on age and season. The Eastern Ribbon Snake is a type of garter, but much slimmer, with brighter,  more defined yellow stripes and with a long slender tail. Size: Average adult length of 3 to 5 feet with narrow girth. Habitat: Forests, grass, wetlands, ponds, and other damp areas. Semi-aquatic, often found near water. Food: Carnivorous. Primarily amphibians, slugs, earthworms, known to eat small birds and mammals. Temperament:  generally docile Other Info.: Not considered venomous, but may cause a rash or swelling around the bite area in humans. May secrete a foul smelling substance when handled. Give birth to live offspring.		Distribution Found  all over NY and surrounding states. Status: Common
Eastern Hognose Snake Heterodon platirhinos Click images for enlargements and license information		AKA: Puff Snake , Spreading or Blow Viper Identifying characteristics: Varies in color. Brown, grey, tan, reddish, yellow with black blotches running down its back. Stout body shape, thick neck and upturned snout. Although it may look similar some classically venomous snakes, this is just a form of mimicry. Size: Average adult length of 2-3 feet. Habitat: Prefers sandy soils, open woodland, rocky areas. Food: Carnivorous. Specializes in toads and frogs. Temperament:  can be aggressive Other Info.:  Not considered venomous to humans, but have a painful bite. Lay eggs. When confronted by humans or predators, will "hood" its neck, inflate it's body and strike with its mouth closed. If this doesn't deter, it will roll over and play dead, releasing a foul smell and relaxed mouth and protruding tongue.		Distribution Small pockets in Eastern NY Status: none
Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake Sistrurus c. catenatus Click images for enlargements and license information		AKA: Swamp Rattler Identifying characteristics: Stout body with broad head. Brownish-grey with a row of hourglass-shaped black spots along its back and 3 rows of smaller spots. Some adults may be completely black.  A heat-sensing organ or pit ("pit viper") can be found on each side of the head between the eye and nostril. Rattle on tail. Vertical pupils. Size:  1-3 feet in length. The smallest of three venomous snakes in the state. Habitat: Prefers forested bogs, swamps, wet fields and other damp areas. There are only 2 known populations in NY state. Bergen Swamps near Rochester and the Oneida Lake swampland east of Syracuse. Food: Carnivorous, venomous. Small mammals and occasionally birds, frogs and even other snakes. Temperament:  defensive and dangerous. Other Info.:  Give birth to live young. When confronted by humans or predators will rattle tail and strike. Venomous to humans.		Distribution Only two populations across NY, but found in neighboring states. Status: Endangered in NY due to diminishing habitat
Eastern Milk Snake Lampropeltis t. triangulum Click here for alternate image.		Identifying characteristics: Slender snake with grey to tan color body, broken by large blotches of black or brown along the back that may give the appearance of lighter color rings, but from the side are most definitely blotches. The color patterns well-defined. Slender head. Belly has a black and white checkerboard pattern. Size: Average 2-3 feet in length. Habitat: Forests, fields, marshes, farmland and suburbs with good cover. Usually found under objects. Food: Carnivorous constrictor. Small animals (mammals, birds, eggs amphibians, invertebrates), but mostly rodents. Temperament:  docile, but defensive. Other Info.:  Not venomous, but resemble the venomous Coral Snake, which is not found in NY. Nocturnal hunters. Lay eggs. When threatened, may vibrate tail repeatedly and strike but bite barely breaks skin.		Distribution Found  all over NY and surrounding states. Status: Common
Eastern Ribbon Snake Thamnophis sauritus Click images for enlargements and license information		Identifying characteristics: Very slender with reddish/brown body and 3 dominant yellow stripes separated by 2 brown checkerboard stripes running the length of the body. The Eastern Ribbon Snake is a type of garter, but much slimmer, with brighter, more defined yellow stripes and with a long slender tail. Size: Average adult length of 2-3 feet. Habitat: Wetlands and the edges of ponds and streams. Food: Carnivorous. Amphibians, especially frogs. Some small fish. Unlike Garter snakes, do not eat earthworms. Temperament: docile Other Info.:  Not  venomous. Give birth to live young. Are excellent swimmers. Secretes a foul smelling substance when handled.		Distribution Sparsely distributed across NY state. Status: none
Northern Black Racer Coluber c. constrictor Click images for enlargements and license information		AKA: Racer constrictor, Coluber  constrictor Identifying characteristics: Large and slender with shiny black smooth scales, white chin and grey belly. Juveniles have patterned backs. Similar to the Black Rat Snake, but smaller in diameter and has grey underbelly. Size: Average adult length 4-6 feet. Young are roughly a foot long. Habitat: Bushy areas, swamps, rocky hillsides and meadows. Food: Carnivorous constrictor. Rodents, birds, eggs, frogs, lizards and insects. Temperament:  docile, but defensive. Other Info.:  Not venomous. Will slither away quickly when confronted, but if cornered will coil, shake its tail and strike.		Distribution Sparsely distributed in two regions in NY and common in southern neighboring states. Status: none
Northern Brown Snake Storeria d. dekayi Click images for enlargements and license information Click here for alternate image. Click here for alternate image.		AKA: Dekayi Snake Identifying characteristics: Small snake with brown/grey back . The middle of the back has a long, light-colored stripe bordered by black spots. Has dark downward stripe on each side of the head. Unmarked belly may be yellow, pink or cream.   Juveniles have a yellowish collar. Size: Average adult length of 13-16 inches. Habitat: Wetlands, woods, ponds, streams, lakes and open fields. Often found in suburban yards. Food: Carnivorous. snails, slugs, earthworms, insects and small fish. Temperament:  docile Other Info.:  Not  venomous, does not bite. Give birth to live young. Are excellent swimmers. Secretes a foul smelling substance when handled. Bears live young. Can swim quite well.		Distribution Sparsely distributed across the finger lakes and eastern NY Status: Common
Northern Copperhead Agkistrodon contortrix mokasen Click images for enlargements and license information		AKA: Copperhead, Chunkhead, Death Adder, Moccasin Identifying characteristics: A generally small pit viper with copper colored, diamond-shaped head. The body is patterned with a striking greenish/reddish/brown pattern that looks like dark hourglass blotches. Pupils are vertical. A heat-sensing organ or pit (pit viper) can be found on each side of the head between the eye and nostril. Size: 1-2 feet in length Habitat: Prefer areas closer to water, hillsides, arid, mountainous regions. Places with lots of debris. The copperhead's coloring gives it great camouflage in areas with lots of dead leaves and forest debris. Food: Carnivorous (ambush). rodents. Temperament:  defensive and dangerous. Other Info.:  Venomous, but the least potent venom of pit vipers and not enough to kill a healthy adult. Give birth to live young. When confronted will hiss and strike.		Distribution Found within the Hudson Valley region down state. Plentiful further south. Status: unknown
Northern Redbelly Snake Storeria o. occipitomaculata Click images for enlargements and license information Click here for alternate image.		Identifying characteristics: Small, slender snakes with brown or grey backs and a red/orange belly.  The back has a long light-colored stripe, bordered by darker stripes. At the rear of the head and behind the eye are three small lightly-colored spots. Size: Average adult length of 7-10 inches long. Habitat: Forests, fields and bogs, often near water. Often found under objects, where they hide from predators. Food: Carnivorous. Primarily slugs, worms and insect larvae. Temperament:  docile Other Info.:  Not venomous and do not bite. Give birth to live young. Secretes a mild musk when handled.		Distribution Well distributed across NY Status: Common
Northern Ringneck Snake Diadophis punctatus edwardsii Click images for enlargements and license information Click here for alternate image.		Identifying characteristics: Uniform in color, dark bluish/black with a slim band of orange or yellow around the neck and black or grey head. The underbelly is usually orange or yellow. Size: Average adult length of 13 inches. Habitat: Prefers damp wooded or rocky areas near water. Food: Carnivorous. Primarily earthworms, beetles,  salamanders, frogs and small snakes. Temperament:  docile Other Info.:  Not venomous. Lay eggs. When confronted by humans or predators, tend to freeze as is or coil up and freeze.  Secretes a fowl-smelling musk when handled. Nocturnal hunter.		Distribution Sparsely distributed across NY Status: Common
Northern Water Snake Nerodia s. sipedon Click images for enlargements and license information		Identifying characteristics: Can be grey or light brown with black or dark red blotches across its back. Botches are thicker than the lighter spaces between them. The blotches are are not well-defined and some older snakes may appear as a solid color. Size: Average adult length of 3 feet. Habitat: Grassy or wooded shorelines of lakes, ponds or streams. Tied to water for feeding. Food: Carnivorous: small fish, frogs, worms, crayfish, salamanders, young turtles, and small birds and mammals. At night they hunt small sleeping fish. Temperament:  aggressive Other Info.:  Not venomous, but can bite. Give birth to live young. When confronted will either slither away or flatten out and strike repeatedly. Click here for alternate image.		Distribution Distributed across NY Status: Common
Queen Snake Regina septemvittata Alternate image (head) Alternate image (ventral)		Identifying characteristics: The queen snake is olive to grey to dark brown in color with cream or yellow stripes running down its sides, adjacent to its light-colored belly. It also has dark stripes running the length of its belly. Size: Average adult length of 1.5 feet. Habitat: Near clean freshwater streams. Usually found under rocks and logs. Only a few known populations exist in western NY. Bergen Swamps near Rochester and near Aurora east of Buffalo. Food: Carnivorous. Primarily crayfish (usually newly-molted) and occasionally amphibians and snails found within its feeding area. Temperament:  generally docile Other Info.:  Not venomous. This snake carries its eggs within its body and gives birth to live young. Its primary prey, Crayfish, is very sensitive to pollutants, threatening this rare (in NY) species further.		Distribution Few populations in western NY. Common in neighboring states. Status: Endangered in NY due to diminishing habitat and water quality.
Shorthead Garter Snake Thamnophis brachystoma		Identifying characteristics: Light grey or brown body with a central light yellow/green stripe running down the center of the back gradually fading as it approaches the tail. Smaller head than other garter snakes. Size: Average adult length of 3 to 4 feet. Habitat: Fields, meadows and forest edges. Often in areas close to water. Food: Carnivorous. Earthworms, sometimes amphibians and small fish. Temperament:  generally docile Other Info.:  Not venomous. Give birth to live offspring.		Distribution Common in south-western NY and Pennsylvania. Status: Common
Smooth Green Snake Liochlorophis vernalis Click here for BNL-hosted image.		AKA: Grass Snake. Identifying characteristics: Small, smooth leaf-green with whitish/yellow underbelly. Juveniles are usually olive or grey. Some adults may retain the juvenile color. Size: Average adult length of 12-20 inches Habitat: Grassy fields, wetlands, rolling hills. Anywhere green where they can take advantage of their natural camouflage. Food: Carnivorous. Insects and spiders. Temperament:  docile Other Info.:  Not venomous. Lay eggs. They are common, but diminishing as their insect diet makes them vulnerable to pesticides.		Distribution Distributed across NY Status: Common
Timber Rattlesnake Crotalus horridus Click images for enlargements and license information		AKA: Banded Rattlesnake, Rattlesnake, American Viper Identifying characteristics: Large and stocky, with 2 general color schemes. Yellow, light brown/grey with dark color bands. Or grey with black banding. Broad diamond shaped head. Ridged scales give a rough appearance. A heat-sensing organ or pit (pit viper) can be found on each side of the head between the eye and nostril. Rattling tail. Vertical pupils. Size: Average adult length of 3-4.5 feet. Habitat: Deciduous forests and rocky terrain. Food: Carnivorous. Primarily small mammals but may also include birds, frogs and other snakes. Temperament:  defensive and dangerous Other Info.:  Highly venomous and dangerous to humans. When confronted by humans or predators will rattle tail and strike if provocation continues.		Distribution Found in the lower Hudson Valley, eastern and southern Adirondacks and parts of central NY. Threatened in many other states. Status: Threatened in NY due to loss of habitat and indiscriminant killing.