Water-pilot, Aspic, False moccasin, Great water snake, Pied water snake, Southern water snake, Water rattle
The Brown water snake (Nerodia taxispilota ) is a large nonvenomous natricine snake found only in the southeastern United States. This snake has many common names and is often one of the most abundant species of snakes found in rivers and streams of the southeastern United States.
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DiurnalDiurnal animals are active during the daytime, with a period of sleeping or other inactivity at night. The timing of activity by an animal depends ...
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NocturnalNocturnality is an animal behavior characterized by being active during the night and sleeping during the day. The common adjective is "nocturnal",...
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CarnivoreA carnivore meaning 'meat eater' is an organism that derives its energy and nutrient requirements from a diet consisting mainly or exclusively of a...
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PiscivoresA piscivore is a carnivorous animal that eats primarily fish. Piscivorous is equivalent to the Greek-derived word ichthyophagous. Fish were the die...
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SemiaquaticSemiaquatic animals are those that are primarily or partly terrestrial but that spend a large amount of time swimming or otherwise occupied in wate...
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Ambush predatorAmbush predators are carnivorous animals that capture or trap prey by stealth, luring, or by (typically instinctive) strategies utilizing an elemen...
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PrecocialPrecocial species are those in which the young are relatively mature and mobile from the moment of birth or hatching. Precocial species are normall...
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ArborealArboreal locomotion is the locomotion of animals in trees. In habitats in which trees are present, animals have evolved to move in them. Some anima...
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NatatorialNatatorial animals are those adapted for swimming. Some fish use their pectoral fins as the primary means of locomotion, sometimes termed labriform...
Ovoviviparity, ovovivipary, ovivipary, or aplacental viviparity is a term used as a "bridging" form of reproduction between egg-laying oviparous an...
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PolygynandryPolygynandry is a mating system in which both males and females have multiple mating partners during a breeding season.
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SolitaryNo
Not a migrantAnimals that do not make seasonal movements and stay in their native home ranges all year round are called not migrants or residents.
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starts withThe Brown water snake is very heavy-bodied, and its neck is distinctly narrower than its head. Dorsally, it is brown or rusty brown with a row of about 25 black or dark brown, square blotches down its back. Smaller similar blotches alternate on the sides. Ventrally, it is yellow, heavily marked with black or dark brown. Dorsal scales are in 27-33 rows, and it has two to four anterior temporals.
Brown water snakes are found in lower coastal regions from southeastern Virginia, through North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia, to northern and western Florida (Gulf Coast), then west through Missouri, Alabama, and Mississippi, to Louisiana. They are also very common in Michigan. These snakes live in swamps, canals, rivers, lakes, ponds, and streams.
Brown water snakes are mostly diurnal but in mid-summer, they may switch to nocturnal activity. They lead a solitary life and interact with each other only during the breeding season. Brown water snakes are ambush predators but may also hunt by actively searching for prey along the edges of water bodies or on the bottom of rivers or streams. These water snakes are very good climbers and swimmers; they may often be seen basking on logs or tree branches or on bushes above the water and if threatened they will retreat into the water to escape danger.
Brown water snakes are carnivores (piscivores). They feed primarily on catfish but may also consume crayfish, small lizards, and frogs.
Brown water snakes are polygynandrous (promiscuous) meaning that both the males and the females mate with multiple partners. The breeding season takes place in spring. Females give birth to 30-40 live young, usually in August. The newborns are independent at birth and do not require parental care. Females become reproductively mature between 5 and 6 years of age while males start to breed when they are 3 years old.
There are no major threats facing Brown water snakes at present. However, they suffer from the pollution of their habitat and are often killed by people who mistake them for venomous cottonmouth.
According to IUCN, the Brown water snake is locally common and widespread throughout its range but no overall population estimate is available. Currently, this species is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List and its numbers today are stable.
