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 Ontario and Quebec in Canada, south to Louisiana and North Carolina, and west to Colorado and the Dakotas.
Look up Common Watersnake in the Snake Encyclopedia →Family
Order: Squamata, Suborder: Serpentes, Family: Colubridae, Subfamily: Natricinae, Genus: Nerodia, Species: Nerodia sipedon
Conservation
Least Concern (IUCN). Generally abundant, though often persecuted due to confusion with other species.
Physical Description
Heavily built body with strongly keeled scales. Coloration is typically gray, tan, or dark brown with darker crossbands or blotches that are widest on the back. Toward the tail, blotches alternate rather than forming bands. The head is relatively flat and slightly wider than the neck.
Size & Dimensions
The specimen in the image appears to be an adult, approximately 2 to 3 feet in length. The species typically ranges from 24 to 42 inches (61–107 cm), with females being significantly larger than males.
Habitat
Semiaquatic habitats including lakes, ponds, marshes, rivers, and streams. Often found basking on rocks, logs, or low-hanging branches over water.
Diet & Feeding
Primarily piscivorous, eating various fish and amphibians (frogs, toads, tadpoles). They are active foragers that hunt along the water's edge or underwater.
Reproduction
Viviparous (gives birth to live young). Breeding occurs in spring, with 15 to 30 young typically born in late summer or early autumn.
Conservation Status
Least Concern (IUCN). Generally abundant, though often persecuted due to confusion with other species.
Cultural Significance
Often misunderstood and feared, they play a vital ecological role in controlling fish and amphibian populations and serve as a prey source for larger predators like herons and snapping turtles.
Notable Features
They are excellent swimmers and can remain submerged for extended periods.