Northern Watersnake
Nerodia sipedon • Order Squamata, Suborder Serpentes, Family Colubridae, Subfamily Natricinae, Genus Nerodia, Species Nerodia sipedon
Widespread across central and eastern North America, including eastern Canada and northeastern to southeastern United States.
Look up Northern Watersnake in the Snake Encyclopedia →Family
Order Squamata, Suborder Serpentes, Family Colubridae, Subfamily Natricinae, Genus Nerodia, Species Nerodia sipedon
Conservation
Least Concern (IUCN Red List). Common and stable across its range, though sometimes persecuted due to misidentification with venomous snakes.
Physical Description
Heavy-bodied snake with heavily keeled dorsal scales, giving it a rough texture. Coloration ranges from brownish-grey to dark brown with darker brown or blackish crossbands along the anterior body, often fading into dark blotches posteriorly.
Size & Dimensions
Adults typically range from 24 to 55 inches (60 to 140 cm) in total length. This adult specimen appears to be around 3 to 4 feet (90 to 120 cm) long.
Habitat
Semi-aquatic; found near freshwater bodies such as ponds, lakes, streams, rivers, marshes, and swamps. Microhabitats include rocks, logs, and debris along water edges.
Diet & Feeding
Active predator feeding mainly on fish, frogs, toads, tadpoles, salamanders, and occasionally small mammals or birds. Grasps and swallows prey alive without constriction.
Reproduction
Viviparous (gives live birth). Females give birth to litters of 12 to 40 young between late summer and early autumn.
Look-alikes
frequently confused with the venomous Northern Cottonmouth (Agkistrodon piscivorus), but can be distinguished by its round pupils, lack of facial heat-sensing pits, and distinctly keeled scale pattern without white facial stripes.
Conservation Status
Least Concern (IUCN Red List). Common and stable across its range, though sometimes persecuted due to misidentification with venomous snakes.
Cultural Significance
Plays a vital ecological role in regulating aquatic prey populations. Frequently encounters humans along popular recreational waterways.
Notable Features
Features strongly keeled, overlapping dorsal scales arranged in distinct rows that assist in propulsion and gripping wet surfaces near aquatic environments.