North American racer

(Coluber constrictor)

Conservation Status
North American racer
Photo by Scott Leddy
  IUCN Red List

LC - Least Concern

 
  NatureServe

N5 - Secure

S3 - Vulnerable

 
  Minnesota

Special Concern

Species in Greatest Conservation Need

 
           
           
 
Description
 
 

Adults are usually 20 to 60 (50 to 152 cm) in length, sometimes longer. The upper (dorsal) surface is slate blue, bluish-black, greenish, or light brown. The throat is yellow or white grading into an unmarked white, light gray, light tan, or yellow belly.

Juveniles are gray above with numerous scattered black or dark reddish-brown spots. The underside is white and is also spotted.

 
     
 

Size

 
 

20 to 60 (50 to 152 cm)

 
     
 

Similar Species

 
     
     
 
Habitat
 
 

Dry prairies, bluff prairies, woodland edges, and field edges.

 
     
 
Ecology
 
 

Behavior

 
 

 

 
     
 

Lifespan

 
 

10 years

 
     
 

Life Cycle

 
 

 

 
     
 

Food

 
 

Rodents, frogs, toads, lizards, birds, bird eggs, insects: any living animal it can catch and swallow.

 
     
 
Distribution
 
 

Distribution Map

 

Sources

4, 6, 14, 24, 29, 30, 74, 76, 78.

 
  8/15/2022      
         
 

Occurrence

 
 

 

 
         
 
Taxonomy
 
  Class Reptilia (reptiles)  
  Superorder Lepidosauria  
  Order Squamata (snakes and lizards)  
  Suborder Serpentes (snakes)  
  Infraorder Alethinophidia  
  Superfamily Colubroidea  
 

Family

Colubridae (colubrid snakes)  
 

Subfamily

Colubrinae  
 

Genus

Coluber (North American racers)  
       
 

Subordinate Taxa

 
 

black-masked racer (Coluber constrictor latrunculus)

blue racer (Coluber constrictor foxii)

brownchin racer (Coluber constrictor helvigularis)

buttermilk racer (Coluber constrictor anthicus)

eastern yellowbelly racer (Coluber constrictor flaviventris)

everglades racer (Coluber constrictor paludicola)

Mexican racer (Coluber constrictor oaxaca)

northern black racer (Coluber constrictor constrictor)

southern black racer (Coluber constrictor priapus)

tan racer (Coluber constrictor etheridgei)

western yellow-bellied racer (Coluber constrictor mormon)

 
       
 

Synonyms

 
 

 

 
       
 

Common Names

 
 

eastern racer

North American racer

racer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
Visitor Photos
 
           
 

Share your photo of this reptile.

 
  This button not working for you?
Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com.
Attach one or more photos and, if you like, a caption.
 
 

Jeff LeClere

 
    North American racer   North American racer  
           
 

juvenile

 
    North American racer      
 

Scott Leddy

 
 

Blue racer (Coluber constrictor foxii)

 
    North American racer      
           
 
MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos
 
 

 

 
           

 

Camera

     
 
Slideshows
 
 
     
     

 

slideshow

       
 
Visitor Videos
 
       
 

Share your video of this reptile.

 
  This button not working for you?
Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com.
Attach a video, a YouTube link, or a cloud storage link.
 
 

 

 
 
 
     
       
       
 
Other Videos
 
  Blue Racers
Nick Scobel
 
   
 
About

Uploaded on Apr 13, 2010

I realized that I had not done a video of this species in Michigan, so here it is, the majestic Blue Racer.

 
  Herping with Dylan: Blue Racer
Herping With Dylan
 
   
 
About

Uploaded on Oct 5, 2006

A Blue Racer I managed to corner in a tree.

 
  Blue Racer
Delana Epperson
 
   
 
About

Published on Sep 13, 2014

We think this cutie is a blue racer snake, 09/13/2014

 

 

Camcorder

 
 
Visitor Sightings
 
           
 

Report a sighting of this reptile.

 
  This button not working for you?
Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com.
Be sure to include a location.
 
  Jeff LeClere
1966

Location: Wabasha County

North American racer

 
  Tony Kegler
June 2012

Location: Richard J. Dorer Memorial Hardwood State Forest, Wabasha County, Snake Creek Trail off highway vehicle trail

Amazingly bright turquoise blue adult sunning itself on dirt bile trail. I believe it must have recently shed its skin.

 
           
 
MinnesotaSeasons.com Sightings
 
 

 

 

 

 

Binoculars


Last Updated:

About Us | Privacy Policy | Contact Us | © MinnesotaSeasons.com. All rights reserved.