Common Watersnake
Nerodia sipedon
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Cordats)
- ClassSquamata
- FamilyColubridae (Colúbrids)
- GenusNerodia (Watersnakes)
- SpeciesNerodia sipedon (Common Watersnake)
The common watersnake (Nerodia sipedon) is a species of large, nonvenomous, common snake in the family Colubridae. The species is native to North America. It is frequently mistaken for the venomous cottonmouth (Agkistrodon piscivorus). Wikipedia →
40–50% of wildlife watchers report a Common Watersnake sighting in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, based on 416 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
Closest Relatives at Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Eastern Rat Snake
Pantherophis alleghaniensis
Common Garter Snake
Thamnophis sirtalis
Ringneck Snake
Diadophis punctatus
Eastern Worm Snake
Carphophis amoenus
Black Kingsnake
Lampropeltis nigra
DeKay's Brownsnake
Storeria dekayi
Eastern Milksnake
Lampropeltis triangulum
North American Racer
Coluber constrictor
Rough Green Snake
Opheodrys aestivus
Queen Snake
Regina septemvittata
Redbelly Snake
Storeria occipitomaculata
Corn Snake
Pantherophis guttatus
📅 Monthly Probability
☀️ When They're Spotted
Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Point Pelee National Park | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 2 | Great Smoky Mountains National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Shenandoah National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Common Watersnake in Great Smoky Mountains National Park?
About 42% of wildlife watchers report a Common Watersnake sighting in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, based on 416 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Common Watersnake in Great Smoky Mountains National Park?
June has the highest sighting rate for Common Watersnake in Great Smoky Mountains National Park in our monthly data.