Pantherophis bairdi
Silhouette: Alex Slavenko · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~40% in a week ~70%
Pantherophis bairdi is a species of harmless snake in the family Colubridae. The species is native to the southwestern United States and adjacent northeastern Mexico. No subspecies are recognized as being valid. P. bairdi is found in the United States in the Big Bend region of western Texas, as well as in northern Mexico in the Mexican states of Coahuila, Nuevo León, and Tamaulipas. It is known to be elusive and hard to find in the wild.
P. bairdi prefers semi-arid, rocky habitats. The specific name, bairdi, as well as several of the common names, are in honor of American zoologist Spencer Fullerton Baird. Common names include: Baird's rat snake, Baird's ratsnake, Baird's pilot snake, Baird's Coluber, and Great Bend rat snake.
Adults of P. bairdi may reach 64 to 140 cm (25 to 55 in) in total length (including tail). The dorsal color pattern consists of an orange-yellow to bright yellow, or a darker salmon ground color, overlaid with four stripes that run from the neck to the tail. The belly is generally gray to yellow, darkening near the tail.
The primary diet of P. bairdi consists of... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Big Bend National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Cumbres de Monterrey National Park | 🇲🇽 Mexico |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Caldwell Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Siam Serpentarium | 🇹🇭 Thailand |
Possible
About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Baird's Ratsnake sighting in Big Bend National Park on a given day, based on 31 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 24th most-seen of the 48 reptiles we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 40%, and over a week to about 70%, if each day is a fresh chance.
May to November
In those months about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Baird's Ratsnake in Big Bend National Park on a given day, against under 5% in January, the lowest month.
Between 9 am and noon
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Baird's Ratsnake sightings with a recorded time, and about 6 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is seen both by day and at night.
Yes
Of the 2 parks where we can rate Baird's Ratsnake sightings, Big Bend National Park has the highest daily chance: about 20%. Next come Cumbres de Monterrey National Park (Mexico, about 10%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Baird's Ratsnake is recorded against all the reptiles logged in Big Bend National Park (31 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
