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 westward to the Great Plains.
Look up Common Watersnake in the Snake Encyclopedia →Family
Order: Squamata, Suborder: Serpentes, Family: Colubridae, Subfamily: Natricinae, Genus: Nerodia, Species: Nerodia sipedon
Conservation
Listed as Least Concern by the IUCN Red List, as it has a wide distribution, presumed large population, and is generally adaptable to habitat modifications.
Physical Description
Displays a patterned dorsal coloration with dark crossbands on the neck region that transition to alternating dark blotches and side spots down the body. The background color ranges from brownish-gray to reddish-brown. Scales are heavily keeled, giving a rough texture. The head is distinct from the neck, and the eyes are medium-sized with round pupils.
Size & Dimensions
This individual appears to be a juvenile measuring approximately 30 to 45 cm in length. Adults typically range from 65 to 135 cm in total length.
Habitat
Found primarily in or near freshwater aquatic habitats such as streams, rivers, lakes, ponds, marshes, swamps, and sluggish water bodies, often basking on logs or rocks near the water's edge.
Diet & Feeding
Diet consists primarily of fish, amphibians, crayfish, and occasionally small mammals or birds. They are active foragers that hunt both in water and along the shoreline.
Reproduction
Viviparous (live-bearing), giving birth to litters averaging around 15 to 30 young, though larger females can produce significantly more. Mating typically occurs in the spring, and young are born in late summer or early autumn.
Look-alikes
Frequently confused with various species of copperheads or cottonmouths (Agkistrodon species) due to its dark blotched pattern and tendency to flatten its head when threatened, but can be distinguished by round pupils, lack of facial heat-sensing pits, and different scale structures.
Conservation Status
Listed as Least Concern by the IUCN Red List, as it has a wide distribution, presumed large population, and is generally adaptable to habitat modifications.
Cultural Significance
Plays an important ecological role in controlling populations of small fish, amphibians, and aquatic invertebrates, serving as both predator and prey within wetland ecosystems.
Notable Features
Known for emitting a strong-smelling musk when handled and possessing specialized keeled scales that aid in gripping surfaces and swimming efficiently in aquatic environments.