Smooth Snake
Coronella austriaca
A secretive, smooth-scaled European colubrid often mistaken for a viper, notable for constricting prey including other reptiles.
- Venomous?
- Non-venomous
- Adult length
- 0.5-0.75 m (1.6-2.5 ft)
- Range
- Europe
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Overview
The Smooth Snake is a small, secretive colubrid distributed widely but patchily across Europe, including parts of the British Isles where it is a rare and protected species. It is harmless to humans, though its subtle patterning sometimes leads to confusion with true vipers.
It is notable for a particularly slow, deliberate constricting feeding strategy, and its scarcity in certain regions has made it a conservation priority.
How to identify it
- Smooth scales (as its name suggests), unlike the keeled scales of many co-occurring snakes
- Grayish, brownish, or coppery coloration with faint darker blotches or a dark stripe from the nostril through the eye
- Small, subtly patterned head
- Round pupils, distinguishing it from true vipers
- Small overall size, rarely exceeding 75 cm
Smooth, glossy scales combined with round pupils and a subtle blotched pattern separate it from vipers occupying similar habitats.
Habitat & range
Found in heathland, dry grassland, open woodland, and rocky slopes across much of Europe, though distribution is patchy and it is rare or protected in parts of its range, including the United Kingdom. Prefers warm, well-drained, sunny sites with dense low vegetation.
Behavior, diet & reproduction
Secretive and often difficult to find, spending much time hidden under vegetation or debris. Feeds primarily on lizards, including slow worms, and other small snakes, subduing prey through prolonged constriction. Generally docile and reluctant to bite. Reproduction is live-bearing (ovoviviparous), with small litters typically of 4-15 young.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Smooth Snake venomous?
No, the Smooth Snake is non-venomous and harmless to humans.
Why is the Smooth Snake sometimes mistaken for a viper?
Its subtle blotched pattern can resemble a viper's, but it has round pupils and smooth scales, unlike true vipers.
Where is the Smooth Snake found?
It occurs across much of Europe, though it is rare and protected in parts of its range, such as the United Kingdom.
What does the Smooth Snake eat?
It feeds mainly on lizards, including slow worms, and occasionally other small snakes, which it subdues by constriction.
Smooth Snake guides
In-depth guides for identifying and understanding Smooth Snake.
