Black Racer
Coluber constrictor
Photo by JD Willson
Description: Racers are large, relatively slender snakes known for their speed.
Black Racer
Relatives in same Genus
Buttermilk Racer (C. constrictor anthicus)
Eastern Yellow-belly Racer (C. constrictor flaviventris)
Blue Racer (C. constrictor foxi) ...
The Black Racer is a long, fairly slender snake with back, sides and belly colored plain black. Usually there is some white color on the chin and the throat. The scales are smooth, without keels, and the anal plate is divided.
Black Racer (Coluber constrictor)
Photos by J.D. Willson unless otherwise noted ...
Northern Black Racer
(Coluber constrictor constrictor)
DESCRIPTION: Adults average 23 to 50 inches in length, while young are about 15 inches long. Coloration and geographic range separate the two subspecies that occur in Indiana.
Black racers are common snakes that utilize a variety of habitats including rocky ledges, pastures, overgrown fields, dry or moist woodlands and the edges of wetlands.
Black Racer Coluber constrictor ssp. Common statewide, but declining in many areas. A familiar diurnal species that occurs in virtually all terrestrial habitats.
Black Racer(Coluber constrictor)
photo credit: Michael Dorcas
Venomous Snakes
The regularity with which people kill snakes may lead one to believe that the world is overrun with venomous snakes.
Northern Black Racer
C. c. constrictor
Western Yellow-bellied Racer
C. c. mormon ...
Northern Black Racer found in Barboursville Community Park
(Photo by me)
Water Snake found on New Creek in Mineral County ...
Both the black racer (Coluber constrictor constrictor) and its larger relative, the blue racer (Cohther constrictor foxi), occur in Ohio.
Unlike the black racer, it is a constrictor preying on rats. It has shiny, slightly keeled scales and reaches a length of 8 ft.. The poisonous Australian black snake has a hood like the related Cobra and is about 5 ft. long .
The Southern Black Racer may have a lighter coloration of cream or yellow on its chin and throat, but its belly is uniformly dark.
to: ...
FWC Facts:
The black racer snake usually swallows it prey while still alive. The black racer is a rat snake; they are very common in Florida.
Learn More at AskFWC
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41. Northern Black Racer - Coluber constrictor constrictor
Description: 36 - 67" (90 - 170 cm). Completely black except for a white chin and throat. Scales are smooth. Juveniles have mid-dorsal row of gray spots. Anal plate divided.
Predators on fledglings include black racer (Coluber constictor), black rat snake (Elaphe obsoleta), and blue jay (Cyanocitta cristata).
Black Racer (Coluber constrictor) - Craven Co., NC 8/27/06
Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake (Crotalus adamanteus) - Glynn Co., GA (photo by Alan Johnston)
Canebrake Rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus atricaudatus) - Dare Co., NC, 9/8/01.
The black racer, C. constrictor, is easily confused with the constricting black rat snake, or pilot black snake (Elaphe obsoleta), which may account for its misleading Latin name.
House sparrows, European starlings, American kestrelsblack rat snakes, black racers, fire ants, domestic cats, black bears, and raccoons are predators of adults and chicks.
It was not uncommon on any given summer day that we would encounter water, milk, grass, hognose, copperhead, black racer, ring, garter, and rattlesnakes.
It is sometimes confused with the Black Racer, which
has smoother scales than the somewhat keeled rat snake. Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo has two Black Rat Snakes on exhibit in the Connecticut Reptile House located in the New England Farmyard.
Some nonpoisonous snakes, king snakes, northern black racers, milk snakes, and corn snakes eat other snakes, even the Timber Rattler and the Copper Head.
Richwood
West Virginia ...
Don't be fooled by the rattle - there are several snake species (black racer, milk snake, hognose) that vibrate their tails when cornered.
8.
Statewide except Nantucket County. Local subspecies known as "Black Racer"
Ring-necked Snake
Diadophis punctatus ...
On land, predators include: black racer snakes (Coluber constrictor), ribbon snakes (Thamnophis sauritus) garter snakes (Thamnophis sirtalis) (Klemens 1993), skunks, foxes, coyotes, and some larger birds (Knox 1999).
northern black racer (Coluber constrictor constrictor)
northern brown snake (Storeria dekayi dekayi)
northern coal skink (Eumeces anthracinus anthracinus)
northern copperhead (Agkistrodon contortix mokasen) ...
 See also: Racer, Snake, Reptile, Rattlesnake, Lizard
  
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