Black Racer
Coluber constrictor • Order: Squamata, Suborder: Serpentes, Family: Colubridae, Subfamily: Colubrinae, Genus: Coluber, Species: Coluber constrictor
Widespread throughout the United States, extending north into southern Canada and south into parts of Mexico, inhabiting regions from the Atlantic coast to the Pacific coast across varied biomes.
Look up Black Racer in the Snake Encyclopedia →Family
Order: Squamata, Suborder: Serpentes, Family: Colubridae, Subfamily: Colubrinae, Genus: Coluber, Species: Coluber constrictor
Conservation
IUCN Red List status is Least Concern, due to its wide distribution, presumed large population, and high adaptability to human-modified environments.
Physical Description
Slender, agile body with smooth scales, large eyes, and uniform dark gray to solid black dorsal coloration with a lighter chin and throat. Head is distinct from the neck with a rounded snout.
Size & Dimensions
Estimated specimen length is approximately 3 to 4 feet. Adults typically range from 35 to 60 inches (90 to 152 cm), with a maximum recorded length exceeding 70 inches (180 cm).
Habitat
Highly adaptable, found in open fields, brushlands, forest edges, marshes, agricultural lands, and semi-arid regions, from sea level up to high elevations. Prefers edge habitats with access to cover.
Diet & Feeding
Active diurnal forager with a diverse diet consisting of insects, frogs, lizards, rodents, birds, and other snakes. Prey is actively pursued, seized, and subdued by pressing against the ground or coiling.
Reproduction
Oviparous species. Females lay clutches averaging 12 to 20 eggs in underground burrows, rotting logs, or under rocks during early summer. Eggs incubate for about 6 to 8 weeks before hatching.
Conservation Status
IUCN Red List status is Least Concern, due to its wide distribution, presumed large population, and high adaptability to human-modified environments.
Cultural Significance
Plays a vital ecological role in controlling rodent and insect populations in agricultural and natural ecosystems.
Notable Features
Renowned for exceptional daytime visual acuity, incredible speed when fleeing from perceived threats, and a characteristic behavior of vibrating the tail rapidly in dry leaves to mimic rattlesnakes.