The Eastern Racer is a species of non-venomous snake that belongs to the colubrid family. It can be found throughout much of the United States as well as parts of Central America.
This is a very diverse species with 11 sub-species currently recognised, including the Northern Racer and the Southern Black Racer.
Eastern Racer Taxonomy
The Eastern Racer belongs to the Colubridae (Colubrid) Family of snakes. This is the same family as species such as Corn Snakes, Kingsnakes and Milk snakes.
The genus that this snake belongs to is called Coluber. This genus has seen a huge number of species associated with it but the vast majority have since been reallocated.
As it stands, there are only a handful of species left in this genus including the Sonoran Whipsnake and the Striped Racer.
The Eastern Racer species itself, has the scientific name Coluber constrictor. There are currently 11 recognised sub-species that are all native to North and Central America. These species are:
- Buttermilk Racer
- Northern Black Racer
- Tan Racer
- Eastern Yellow-Bellied Racer
- Blue Racer
- Brown-Chinned Racer
- Black Masked Racer
- Mexican Racer
- Everglades Racer
- Southern Black Racer
- Western Yellow-Bellied Racer
Eastern Racer Description
An Eastern Racer snake can vary in size, from less than 2 foot to around 5 foot in length depending on the particular sub-species. They have a fairly slender build and there usually isn’t much variation in size between males and females.
The color and patterning of the snakes can also vary greatly depending on the sub-species. This is often indicated in their common names, such as black racers, brown racers, tan racers, blue racers and green racers.
The belly of an Eastern Racer is always lighter in color than the base color of the snake. The color itself can vary slightly but is typically white, cream or yellowish in color.
Natural Habitat and Distribution
The Eastern Racer can be found throughout much of the United States, parts of Southern Canada and as far South as parts of Central America.
Each individual sub-species of Eastern Racer has its own particular distribution and range. While some of these ranges overlap, many sub-species are never found within the same geographical range as each other.
For example, the Northern Black Racer can be found in the North Eastern United States while the Southern Black Racer can be found in the South Eastern United States. These two sub-species range overlaps.
The Western Yellow-Bellied Racer can be found in the Western United States in states such as California, Oregon and Washington while the Blue Racer can be found in States such as Michigan, Illinois and Wisconsin. Their range never overlaps.
Sub-species such as the Eastern Yellow-Bellied Racer and the Mexican Racer can be found in parts of Mexico as well as the United States. The Everglades Racer is only found in a small region of Southern Florida.
Due to their extensive geographical range, these snakes range overlaps with many other common species of reptiles in the United States including the Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake, Eastern Indigo Snake, Arizona Mountain Kingsnake and the Blue Tailed Skink.
These snakes can be found in a wide variety of different habitats. This is partially why these snakes have such a large distribution throughout the United States and into Central America and Canada.
These snakes are usually found close to bodies of water such as rivers, streams, lakes or swamps. They are often found on roadsides where they will soak up the heat from the sun.
The Eastern Racer is the most common snake in residential neighbourhoods throughout much of its range, especially Florida.
These snakes are particularly fond of open grassland but can also be found in woodland areas and forests. They can even be found in semi-arid regions providing there is enough brush for shelter and shade.
Eastern Racer Diet
The Eastern Racer snake feeds on a wide variety of different prey items. Not all sub-species will feed on the same things so if you are purchasing one of these as a pet, you should look into the requirements of the specific sub-species.
In general, their diet consists primarily of small rodents, frogs, toads, lizards and even other smaller snakes such as the Rough Green Snake. Juveniles are even known to consume soft-bodied insects such as Crickets and Moths.
Despite its scientific name, Coluber constrictor, this snake does not generally constrict its prey. Instead, it pins its prey against a surface such as the ground or a wall with its body.
Behavior
As its name suggests, the Eastern Racer is a very fast and active species of snake. These snakes are Diurnal in nature, meaning they are active during the day as opposed to at night.
These snakes like to spend time in open grassland where they can use their speed and great eyesight to gain advantage over prey. As these snakes are active during the day, they are often encountered by people within their range.
These snakes will often raise their head and neck above the grass line to scan the area around them for predators or prey. They then use their lightning speed to escape a threat or chase down a potential meal.
Eastern Racer Reproduction
The Eastern Racer mating season is in Spring and Early summer. Around a month after breeding, the female will lay her eggs in a secluded area such as an abandoned rodent burrow or in a hollow log.
Clutch size can vary greatly from a couple of eggs to around 30 eggs, but around 12-15 would be more common for a healthy female. Juveniles typically hatch in early Autumn, measuring less than one foot in length.
