Northern Watersnake
Nerodia sipedon • Order: Squamata, Suborder: Serpentes, Family: Colubridae, Subfamily: Natricinae, Genus: Nerodia, Species: Nerodia sipedon
Eastern and central North America, ranging from southern Canada down through the United States to the Gulf Coast and as far west as Kansas and Nebraska.
Look up Northern Watersnake in the Snake Encyclopedia →Family
Order: Squamata, Suborder: Serpentes, Family: Colubridae, Subfamily: Natricinae, Genus: Nerodia, Species: Nerodia sipedon
Conservation
IUCN Red List status is Least Concern, with stable populations across most of its native range, though facing local threats from habitat degradation and intentional killing.
Physical Description
Features a stout-bodied appearance with a patterned back consisting of dark crossbands on the neck and alternating blotches further down the body. Base coloration typically ranges from brown, tan, or gray, with reddish or dark brown markings.
Size & Dimensions
Adults typically range from 61 to 106 cm (24 to 42 inches) in total length, with maximum recorded lengths reaching up to 140 cm (55 inches).
Habitat
Found almost exclusively near permanent or semi-permanent bodies of fresh water such as streams, rivers, lakes, ponds, swamps, and marshes.
Diet & Feeding
Primarily feeds on fish, frogs, tadpoles, salamanders, crayfish, and occasionally small mammals or birds. They are active foragers that hunt primarily along the water's edge and underwater.
Reproduction
Ovoviviparous species, giving birth to live young. Mating typically occurs in the spring, and females produce litters ranging from 8 to over 50 young in late summer.
Look-alikes
Often confused with venomous cottonmouths (Agkistrodon piscivorus) due to similar aquatic habitats and banded patterns, but distinguished by a round pupil, lack of facial pits, and distinct head shape.
Conservation Status
IUCN Red List status is Least Concern, with stable populations across most of its native range, though facing local threats from habitat degradation and intentional killing.
Cultural Significance
Plays a vital ecological role in aquatic food webs by regulating amphibian and small fish populations, though frequently subjected to unnecessary persecution due to misidentification.
Notable Features
Highly aquatic behavior, adept at swimming both on the surface and submerged, and possessing keeled scales that aid in aquatic locomotion.