Eastern Racer
Coluber constrictor • Order: Squamata, Suborder: Serpentes, Family: Colubridae, Subfamily: Colubrinae, Genus: Coluber, Species: C. constrictor
Widely distributed throughout North America, ranging from southern Canada through the continental United States (except for high mountain ranges and the driest deserts) to Guatemala.
Look up Eastern Racer in the Snake Encyclopedia →Venomous Status
Non-venomous
Danger Level
Harmless - low risk to humans; though they are defensive and may bite if handled, they pose no toxicological threat.
Family
Order: Squamata, Suborder: Serpentes, Family: Colubridae, Subfamily: Colubrinae, Genus: Coluber, Species: C. constrictor
Conservation
Least Concern (IUCN); however, they face threats from habitat loss, road mortality, and persecution due to confusion with venomous species.
Physical Description
Slender snake with smooth, matte scales. Adults are typically solid black, bluish, or slate-gray with a lighter white or cream-colored chin and throat. Large eyes with round pupils and a distinct ridge (supraocular scale) above the eye giving it a stern look.
Size & Dimensions
The specimen appears to be an adult around 90-120 cm. Typical adult range is 50-152 cm, with records reaching up to 180 cm.
Habitat
Generalist species found in open woodlands, fields, grasslands, forest edges, and suburban gardens. Primarily terrestrial but can climb; ranges from sea level to approximately 2,100 meters.
Behavior & Temperament
Highly active, nervous, and alert diurnal hunter. If cornered, they may vibrate their tails to mimic a rattlesnake and strike repeatedly, though they prefer to use their impressive speed to flee.
Diet & Feeding
Active forager with a broad diet including rodents, lizards, other snakes, frogs, and large insects. Despite the name 'constrictor', they typically kill prey by pinning it down or swallowing it alive.
Reproduction
Oviparous (egg-laying). Females lay clutches of 3-30 eggs in early summer, often in communal nesting sites such as rotting logs or burrows. Hatchlings have a distinct blotched pattern unlike the solid adults.
Venom Profile
Non-venomous - no medically significant venom.
Look-alikes
Black Rat Snake (Pantherophis alleghaniensis) which has keeled scales and a more 'loaf-of-bread' shaped body; Indigo Snake (Drymarchon couperi) which is much larger and glossier; and juvenile Black Racers are often confused with Copperheads due to their blotched patterns.
Conservation Status
Least Concern (IUCN); however, they face threats from habitat loss, road mortality, and persecution due to confusion with venomous species.
Cultural Significance
Key ecological role in controlling rodent and insect populations. Often appreciated by farmers for pest control but feared by the public due to their fast movements and defensive posture.
Notable Features
Known for 'periscoping' (lifting the front part of their body off the ground to survey their surroundings over grass). They have remarkably high metabolism and visual acuity compared to most other North American snakes.