Brown Snake
Storeria dekayi • Order: Squamata, Suborder: Serpentes, Family: Colubridae, Subfamily: Natricinae, Genus: Storeria, Species: Storeria dekayi
Eastern and central North America, ranging from southern Canada through the eastern United States down into Mexico and parts of Central America.
Look up Brown Snake in the Snake Encyclopedia →Family
Order: Squamata, Suborder: Serpentes, Family: Colubridae, Subfamily: Natricinae, Genus: Storeria, Species: Storeria dekayi
Conservation
IUCN Red List status is Least Concern. They are common and adaptable, though localized populations face threats from habitat destruction, road mortality, and indiscriminate killing.
Physical Description
Small, slender body with brown or grayish-brown coloration. A lighter mid-dorsal stripe may be present, bordered by small dark spots or dashes running down the back. The head is relatively distinct from the neck, and scales are typically keeled.
Size & Dimensions
Estimated specimen length is around 25 to 30 cm. Typical adult size ranges from 20 to 38 cm, with a maximum recorded length of about 52 cm.
Habitat
Found in a wide variety of habitats including forests, fields, wetlands, and heavily urbanized areas. They are highly adaptable and frequently inhabit suburban gardens, parks, and vacant lots, often sheltering under logs, rocks, boards, and other debris.
Diet & Feeding
Feeds primarily on soft-bodied invertebrates such as earthworms, slugs, and snails. They are active foragers, using their sense of smell to locate prey in leaf litter and damp microhabitats.
Reproduction
Ovoviviparous, giving birth to live young. Mating typically occurs in the spring, and females give birth to litters ranging from 3 to over 20 young in late summer.
Conservation Status
IUCN Red List status is Least Concern. They are common and adaptable, though localized populations face threats from habitat destruction, road mortality, and indiscriminate killing.
Cultural Significance
Acts as an important natural pest controller in gardens and urban environments by preying on slugs and snails that can damage plants.
Notable Features
Remarkably tolerant of human presence and highly successful at surviving in suburban backyards and urban parks where other snake species are often extirpated.