Common 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 eastern United States to the Gulf Coast and as far west as Kansas and Nebraska.
Look up Common 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 range, though local populations face threats from habitat loss and intentional killing due to misidentification.
Physical Description
Robust body with heavily keeled scales. The background coloration is typically brownish, gray, or reddish, featuring dark crossbands on the neck region that transition into alternating dorsal and lateral blotches further down the body. The head is distinct from the neck, and the lips often feature dark vertical bars.
Size & Dimensions
Adult length typically ranges from 75 to 135 cm (30 to 53 inches), with females generally growing larger than males. The specimen shown appears to be a medium to large adult.
Habitat
Aquatic habitats including freshwater streams, rivers, lakes, ponds, marshes, swamps, and retention basins, usually near shallow water with plenty of basking sites like logs, rocks, or emergent vegetation.
Diet & Feeding
Primarily feeds on fish and amphibians such as frogs, tadpoles, and salamanders, actively foraging both in the water and along the shoreline, consuming prey live without constriction.
Reproduction
Ovoviviparous, giving live birth to litters typically ranging from 8 to 50 young, usually between August and October following a mating season in spring.
Look-alikes
Frequently confused with cottonmouths (Agkistrodon piscivorus) due to dark coloration, aquatic habits, and defensive posturing, but can be distinguished by round pupils, lack of facial heat-sensing pits, and head shape.
Conservation Status
IUCN Red List status is Least Concern, with stable populations across most of its range, though local populations face threats from habitat loss and intentional killing due to misidentification.
Cultural Significance
Plays an important ecological role as both predator and prey in aquatic ecosystems, helping control amphibian and fish populations.
Notable Features
Possesses a specialized semi-aquatic lifestyle with high tolerance for cooler water temperatures, often found basking just above the water surface to thermoregulate.