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 →
30–40% of wildlife watchers report a Common Watersnake sighting in Shenandoah National Park, based on 289 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
Closest Relatives at Shenandoah National Park
Eastern Rat Snake
Pantherophis alleghaniensis
Common Garter Snake
Thamnophis sirtalis
Ringneck Snake
Diadophis punctatus
Eastern Milksnake
Lampropeltis triangulum
Eastern Worm Snake
Carphophis amoenus
North American Racer
Coluber constrictor
Redbelly Snake
Storeria occipitomaculata
DeKay's Brownsnake
Storeria dekayi
Rough Green Snake
Opheodrys aestivus
Eastern Hognose Snake
Heterodon platirhinos
Mole snake
Lampropeltis rhombomaculata
Smooth Earthsnake
Virginia valeriae
📅 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 Shenandoah National Park?
About 35% of wildlife watchers report a Common Watersnake sighting in Shenandoah National Park, based on 289 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Common Watersnake in Shenandoah National Park?
June has the highest sighting rate for Common Watersnake in Shenandoah National Park in our monthly data.