Common Garter Snake
Thamnophis sirtalis • Order: Squamata, Suborder: Serpentes, Family: Colubridae, Subfamily: Natricinae, Genus: Thamnophis, Species: T. sirtalis
Widely distributed throughout North America, ranging from southern Canada down through much of the United States to parts of northeastern Mexico.
Look up Common Garter Snake in the Snake Encyclopedia →Family
Order: Squamata, Suborder: Serpentes, Family: Colubridae, Subfamily: Natricinae, Genus: Thamnophis, Species: T. sirtalis
Conservation
IUCN Red List status is Least Concern, due to its very wide distribution, high adaptability, and large overall population size.
Physical Description
The visible portion shows a dark background coloration overlaid with distinctive longitudinal light stripes and a checkered pattern of dark spots between the stripes. Scales are moderately keeled, giving a textured appearance.
Size & Dimensions
Specimen is partially coiled and obscured by grass, but typical adults range from 46 to 137 cm (18 to 54 inches) in total length.
Habitat
Found in a diverse range of habitats including forests, fields, grasslands, marshes, and agricultural lands, typically near water sources such as streams, ponds, and ditches.
Diet & Feeding
Generalist carnivore feeding on amphibians, earthworms, small fish, and occasionally small mammals or birds. Utilizes active foraging strategies.
Reproduction
Viviparous (gives live birth), typically producing litters of 10 to 40 or more young in the late summer after mating in the spring.
Look-alikes
Frequently confused with other ribbon snakes and garter snake species within the genus Thamnophis, distinguished primarily by the exact positioning of lateral stripes and scale counts.
Conservation Status
IUCN Red List status is Least Concern, due to its very wide distribution, high adaptability, and large overall population size.
Cultural Significance
Commonly encountered in suburban and rural yards across North America, often serving as a familiar introduction to herpetology and wildlife observation for the public.
Notable Features
Known for high variability in color patterns across different geographic regions and an exceptional ability to adapt to human-modified landscapes.