Sssssnake spotting in Warner Parks

Shared by Melissa Donahue, Naturalist

melissa.donahue@nashville.gov

photos courtesy Warner Park archives

May 2021

You are walking along the trail or road and you hear a rustling.  Glancing around you notice a tail disappear under some leaves or a head sticking out of the wall. 

Milk snake (Can you spot the head?)

This is the time of year when snakes start to appear at Warner Park.  Before you head out on the trail to observe these interesting animals, let's learn a little bit about them.

Common Garter snake

This 18–26-inch snake is as likely to be seen in the garden as in the forest at Warner Parks.  The most common snake in suburban areas, a Garter snake can be found in a wide variety of habitats. Many species have two colored tongues.  Active both day and night, they eat worms, slugs, frogs, toads, salamanders, fish and tadpoles. These snakes give live birth and can have more than 50 babies.  

Ringneck Snake

Ringneck snakes are small (10 - 15 inches), slender snakes. Often seen in the leaves along the side of the trail or curled up in the roots of a tree, the Ringneck snake has one of the largest geographic ranges of any species of snake in North America. Like other small woodland snakes, Ringneck snakes spend most of their time underground or hidden under logs, rocks, leaf litter or debris. They use venom (not harmful to people or pets) to subdue their prey, which include a variety of invertebrates, amphibians, lizards, and other small snakes. In early summer, the females lay 2-7 eggs. 

Northern Water Snake

Often seen sunning on rocks near the Nature Center pond or creek, Northern Water Snakes are some of the most common water snakes in the United States. As adults, they have dark bands and are often mistaken for Copperheads or Cottonmouths. Although not venomous, when agitated they may flatten their bodies and bite. Fully grown water snakes are between 2 and 4.5 feet long and feed on fish and amphibians. Females give birth between late August and early October to live young, having anywhere between 12 and 36 at a time. 

Gray Rat Snake

Gray Rat snakes must be very curious because they are sometimes seen peeking in the doors of the Nature Center.  Adult rat snakes are typically 3-5 feet, but large individuals may be more than 6 feet long, and can also be seen in trees and the walls around the Old Roadway in Edwin Warner.  They lay up to 2 dozen eggs in July.  Adult rat snakes primarily eat mice, rats, squirrels and birds, as well as bird eggs. Juveniles eat small frogs, lizards and small rodents. When frightened they will vibrate their tail and expel malodorous musk.

Timber Rattle Snake

This shy snake is rarely seen but has been spied near the Mossy Ridge Trail.  The Timber Rattlesnake is, at 36 – 60 inches long, the largest of the 4 venomous snakes in Tennessee. Body coloration is highly variable but is usually gray with a black tail.  It eats mostly small rodents such as mice, rats, chipmunks and squirrels; occasionally they will consume birds, lizards, and other small mammals.  Females give live birth to 5-14 young in the late summer or early fall.  Mothers stay with young for 1-2 weeks until they shed.

Check out this Tennessee.gov website for more information about Timber Rattlers. 

These are just a few of the snakes that are found in Warner Park. Even though they may startle us at first, these shy creatures are fascinating to observe.  Please remember it is illegal to kill a snake in Tennessee.  

Want to learn more?  Join us for our FYI naturalist on Tuesday, May 11.  Sign up on our webpage.