Other Black Snakes: Black Racers (Coluber constrictor)

Yet another type of snake often simply referred to as a black snake is the eastern black racer, a species similar in appearance to (and often confused with) the black rat snake. The two species also share similar geographic ranges with a lot of overlap.Show more

This particular species consists of a whopping 11 total subspecies, with the northern and southern black racers often being among the most common and widespread throughout much of North America. They can even be found as far south as northern Mexico and as far north as southern Canada.

Since they are members of the Colubridae family, all 11 subspecies of eastern black racer snakes are non-venomous and rely on ambush and constriction to take down their prey. As their speedy-sounding name suggests, these snakes are remarkably agile. They are well-adapted to moving quickly on land and in water and are even skilled climbers, willing to feed on just about any animal small enough for them to efficiently take down.