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North American Racer
(also known as black racer)
Coluber constrictor
Please submit sightings of this Endangered species to MDIFW immediately by emailing derek.yorks@maine.gov or (207) 941-4475
On this page:
Photo: Trevor Persons
Distinguishing Characteristics
- Maine’s longest snake, adults approximately 36 to 76 inches in length
- Slender, glossy black above with smooth scales
- Underside is light bluish-gray, with a white chin and throat
- Juveniles have dark blotches on a lighter gray background, may be confused with eastern milksnake or common watersnake
Status and Distribution in Maine
- State Endangered; Species of Greatest Conservation Need
- Rare
- Southern region only
Habitat
Photo: Trevor Persons
- Shrub-grassland and dry, open woodlands
- Often uses large shrubby utility corridors
Diet
- Varied diet includes small mammals; frogs; nestling birds; and insects, especially grasshoppers
Seasonal Changes
- Overwinters underground in chipmunk burrows, often with other snake species
Natural History Notes
- Alert, fast-moving
- Large home ranges, over 200 acres in Maine
- Despite Latin name constrictor, does not constrict and suffocate its prey
- May react aggressively if cornered, although like all Maine snakes is harmless