Northern Watersnake
Nerodia sipedon • Order: Squamata, Suborder: Serpentes, Family: Colubridae, Subfamily: Natricinae, Genus: Nerodia, Species: N. sipedon
Eastern and central North America, ranging from southern Canada down through the eastern and midwestern United States as far south as the Florida panhandle and west to Colorado.
Look up Northern Watersnake in the Snake Encyclopedia →Family
Order: Squamata, Suborder: Serpentes, Family: Colubridae, Subfamily: Natricinae, Genus: Nerodia, Species: N. sipedon
Conservation
IUCN Red List status is Least Concern, due to its wide distribution, tolerance of habitat modification, and large overall population size.
Physical Description
Robust body with dark crossbands on the neck and alternating blotches on the back and sides, often becoming darker and more uniform in older individuals. Scales are strongly keeled, and the head is distinct from the neck.
Size & Dimensions
Specimens typically range from 66 to 135 cm (26 to 53 inches) in total length. Females are generally larger and heavier than males.
Habitat
Found primarily in or near fresh water habitats such as streams, rivers, lakes, ponds, swamps, marshes, and bogs. Prefers areas with abundant basking sites like rocks, logs, or shoreline vegetation.
Diet & Feeding
Feeds primarily on aquatic prey, including fish, amphibians, crayfish, and occasionally small mammals or birds. Uses active foraging in water and seizes prey directly.
Reproduction
Ovoviviparous (gives birth to live young). Mating occurs in spring, and females typically give birth to litters ranging from 8 to over 50 young in late summer or early autumn.
Conservation Status
IUCN Red List status is Least Concern, due to its wide distribution, tolerance of habitat modification, and large overall population size.
Cultural Significance
Plays a vital ecological role in controlling aquatic prey populations and serving as a food source for larger predators like raptors and mammals.
Notable Features
Known for behavior when cornered which includes flattening the head, striking repeatedly, and releasing a foul-smelling musk from cloacal glands.