Eastern racer
The eastern racer (Coluber constrictor) is a type of nonvenomous snake in the family Colubridae. It only lives in North America and Central America.
| Eastern racer | |
|---|---|
| |
| Coluber constrictor anthicus, buttermilk racer | |
| Conservation status | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Unrecognized taxon (fix): | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Family: | Colubridae |
| Genus: | Coluber Linnaeus, 1758 |
| Species: | C. constrictor
|
| Binomial name | |
| Coluber constrictor | |
| |
| Synonyms[1][2] | |
Description
Eastern racers usually grow up to 50 to 152 cm (20 to 60 in) in length. They usually weigh around 556 g (1.226 lb). Its color can range from black, bluish, gray, to olive brown.[3]
Distribution and Habitat
It is found throughout the United States, east of the Rocky Mountains. It is also found north into Canada and south into Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize.
It is usually found near water, but it can also be found in bushes, trash piles, roadsides, and swamps. It spends most of its time on the ground. But, it is a good climber. It may be found in shrubs and trees where there are bird nests.
Most of the eastern racers like open, grassland habitats where their eyesight and speed can be used. They are usually not far from a place to hide.
Feeding
They mainly eat small rodents, frogs, toads, lizards, and other snakes. Some subspecies are known to climb trees to eat eggs and young birds. Young eastern racers usually insects with soft bodies, such as crickets and moths. They overcome moving prey by wrapping into one or two coils pressing its prey to hold it so that it can swallow it alive.[4]
Behaviour
The eastern racers are fast, very active, diurnal snakes. Eastern racers are curious snakes. They have very good vision. They are sometimes seen raising their heads above the grass where they are crawling to see what is around them. They usually run away from a predator. They are hard to hold and will poop, and release a bad smelling liquid from their cloacae.[4]
Reproduction
It mates in the spring from April until early June. The female lays three to 30 eggs in a hidden nest, such as a hollow log, an abandoned rodent burrow, or under a rock. The young ones hatch in the early fall. They reach maturity when they are around 2 years old.
Eastern Racer Media
Closeup of head of C. c. mormon, western yellow-bellied racer
Closeup of the head of Coluber constrictor constrictor, northern black racer
Juvenile eastern yellow-bellied racer, C. c. flaviventris
Adult eastern yellow-bellied racer, C. c. flaviventris
Adult northern black racer, C. c. constrictor
Adult northern black racer, C. c. constrictor, in typical habitat
Adult blue racer, C. c. foxii
Adult black rat snake, Pantherophis obsoletus, often confused with the northern black racer
Close up of adult southern black racer, C. c. priapus, showing the iridescence of its scales
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References
- ↑ Stejneger L, Barbour T (1917). A Check List of North American Amphibians and Reptiles. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press. 125 pp. (Coluber constrictor, p. 79)
- ↑ "Coluber constrictor ". The Reptile Database. www.reptile-database.org.
- ↑ Hastings, Angie. "Coluber constrictor (Eastern Racer)". Animal Diversity Web. Retrieved 2020-09-16.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 "The College of Natural Sciences (CNS) at UMass Amherst". The College of Natural Sciences (CNS) at UMass Amherst. Retrieved 2020-09-18.