Black racer
(Coluber constrictor)

NH Conservation Status: Species of Special Concern; Wildlife Action Plan Species in Greatest Need of Conservation (Click here to download the Reptiles and Amphibians section of the NH Wildlife Action Plan.* (PDF, 1.5 MB.) Black racer is on page 3.)

State Rank Status: Vulnerable

Distribution: Locally sparse through southeastern NH

Description: A slender black snake measuring 36-60 inches. Black racers are glossy black on the top and bottom with a white throat and chin. Young racers are patterned with brown or reddish patches on a lighter base of gray.

Commonly Confused Species: Northern water snake; the timber rattlesnake has a blunt rattle and is thicker with keeled scales and a triangular head.

Habitat: Found in a variety of habitats including dry brushy pastures, powerline corridors, rocky ledges, and woodlands. Have large home ranges and require large patches of suitable habitat.

Life History: During summer lays 15-20 eggs underground in loose soil or under rotting wood or stumps. Hibernate in rock crevices or mammal burrows, sometimes communally.

Conservation Threats: Loss of habitat from rapidly developing southern New Hampshire, road mortality, non-compatible management of fields; death from humans in response to aggressive behavior.

Distribution map: Click here for a map showing the towns where this species is reported to occur in NH  

	*To view this or any PDF document, you must have the free Adobe Acrobat Reader software on your computer. To download the latest version of Acrobat Reader, click here to go to the Adobe web site.