North American Racer

Scientific Name: Coluber constrictor

Average Length: 36–60 inches (91–152 cm)

Maximum Length: About 72 inches (183 cm)

Status at Snake Road: Uncommon

Venomous? No

Description

The North American Racer is one of the fastest and most athletic snakes found at Snake Road. Adults in southern Illinois are almost uniformly black with a smooth, glossy appearance, contrasting with a white or light gray chin and throat. Their large eyes and slender body give them an alert, inquisitive look that sets them apart from many other large snakes.

Juveniles look completely different from adults. Young Racers are light gray with numerous reddish-brown or dark gray blotches running down the back. As they mature, these markings gradually fade until the snake develops the nearly solid black coloration of adulthood.

Unlike ratsnakes, Racers have smooth scales, giving them a sleek, polished appearance.

Behavior

The North American Racer relies on speed more than almost any other defense. Unlike many snakes that freeze or hide when approached, Racers often flee at incredible speed, disappearing into grass, shrubs, or the forest long before a person can get close.

Despite their name, they do not constrict prey. Instead, they actively pursue and overpower small animals using their speed and powerful jaws. They feed on rodents, frogs, lizards, birds, insects, and even other snakes.

If cornered, a Racer can become highly defensive, striking repeatedly while vibrating its tail and releasing a strong-smelling musk. Even so, they are completely harmless to humans.

Habitat

At Snake Road, North American Racers are found in a wide variety of habitats, including open woodlands, forest edges, old fields, rocky hillsides, and wetlands. They regularly travel between these habitats during the spring and fall migrations and are comfortable both on the ground and in low shrubs.

Where You're Most Likely to See One

North American Racers can be encountered almost anywhere along Snake Road. They are often seen actively crossing the road during warm afternoons or basking briefly before darting into nearby vegetation. Because they rely on speed rather than camouflage, many sightings are fleeting.

Commonly Confused With

Gray Ratsnake (Pantherophis spiloides)

Adult Gray Ratsnakes and adult Racers are both predominantly black and are frequently confused. Gray Ratsnakes are heavier-bodied with weakly keeled scales, while Racers are much slimmer with smooth, glossy scales. Racers also have noticeably larger eyes and a more streamlined head. Behavior is often the easiest clue, Racers usually flee immediately, while Gray Ratsnakes are more likely to remain still or climb nearby trees.

Eastern Black Kingsnake (Lampropeltis nigra)

Eastern Black Kingsnakes (often called Shawnee Kings) are also black as adults but are noticeably stockier than Racers. Kingsnakes have smooth scales like Racers but usually retain numerous small yellow or white speckles across the body. Racers are typically solid black with little or no speckling and have a much longer, thinner body and proportionally larger eyes.

Juvenile Gray Ratsnake (Pantherophis spiloides)

Young Racers are often mistaken for juvenile Gray Ratsnakes because both have gray backgrounds with dark blotches. Juvenile Racers are much more slender with smooth scales and large eyes. Their blotches also become progressively fainter toward adulthood, while young Gray Ratsnakes tend to have bolder, more sharply defined markings and a distinctive spear-shaped marking on the top of the head.

Fun Fact

Despite their scientific name, Coluber constrictor, North American Racers do not kill prey by constriction. Early naturalists mistakenly believed they behaved like boas or kingsnakes, but Racers actually rely on speed and powerful jaws to quickly subdue their prey before swallowing it whole.