Baird's Ratsnake
Pantherophis bairdi
Silhouette: Alex Slavenko · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassSquamata
- FamilyColubridae (Colubrid Snakes)
- GenusPantherophis (North American Ratsnakes)
- SpeciesPantherophis bairdi (Baird's Ratsnake)
About the Baird's Ratsnake
Pantherophis bairdi is a species of harmless snake in the family Colubridae. The species is native to the southwestern United States and adjacent northeastern Mexico. No subspecies are recognized as being valid. P. bairdi is found in the United States in the Big Bend region of western Texas, as well as in northern Mexico in the Mexican states of Coahuila, Nuevo León, and Tamaulipas. It is known to be elusive and hard to find in the wild.
P. bairdi prefers semi-arid, rocky habitats. The specific name, bairdi, as well as several of the common names, are in honor of American zoologist Spencer Fullerton Baird. Common names include: Baird's rat snake, Baird's ratsnake, Baird's pilot snake, Baird's Coluber, and Great Bend rat snake.
Adults of P. bairdi may reach 64 to 140 cm (25 to 55 in) in total length (including tail). The dorsal color pattern consists of an orange-yellow to bright yellow, or a darker salmon ground color, overlaid with four stripes that run from the neck to the tail. The belly is generally gray to yellow, darkening near the tail.
The primary diet of P. bairdi consists of... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Baird's Ratsnake in Big Bend National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Big Bend National Park
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Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Big Bend National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
More parks will be added in future updates.
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Baird's Ratsnake in Big Bend National Park?
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Baird's Ratsnake sighting in Big Bend National Park, based on 31 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Baird's Ratsnake in Big Bend National Park?
October has the highest sighting rate for Baird's Ratsnake in Big Bend National Park in our monthly data.