Sonora semiannulata
Silhouette: Alex Slavenko · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~30% in a week ~50%
The western ground snake (Sonora semiannulata) is a species of small, harmless colubrid snake. The species is endemic to North America. Its patterning and coloration can vary widely, even within the same geographic region. Another common name is miter snake referring to the head marking which suggests a bishop's miter; the synonym "episcopus " (Latin for "bishop") is a similar allusion.
S. semiannulata is native to the Southwestern United States, in Arizona, Nevada, California, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, and Utah, as well as northern Mexico, in Chihuahua, Coahuila, Durango, Nuevo León, and Sonora.
The western ground snake can grow to a total length (including tail) of 8 to 19 inches (20.3 to 48.3 cm). The color and pattern can vary widely. Individuals can be brown, red, or orange, with black banding, orange or brown striping, or be solid-colored. The underside is typically white or gray. It has smooth dorsal scales, a small head, and the pupil of the eye is round.
The preferred habitat of S. semiannulata is dry, rocky areas with loose soil. The western ground snake is typically... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Death Valley National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Grand Canyon National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Zion National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Big Bend National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Saguaro National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Ground Snake sighting in Phoenix on a given day, based on 44 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 12th most-seen of the 23 reptiles we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 30%, and over a week to about 50%, if each day is a fresh chance.
July
In that month about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Ground Snake in Phoenix on a given day, against under 5% in January–February and November, the lowest months. That is one of Phoenix's wettest months, with about 35 mm of rain against almost none in June.
Between 2 and 5 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Ground Snake sightings with a recorded time, and about 7 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is seen both by day and at night.
Yes
Of the 3 cities where we can rate Ground Snake sightings, Phoenix has the highest daily chance: about 10%. Next come Mesa (United States, about 10%) and Las Vegas (United States, about 10%).
Same family: Colubridae
The closest relatives of the Ground Snake that you can see in Phoenix (family Colubridae, Colubrid Snakes) are California King Snake (about 10%), Gopher Snake (about 10%) and Long-nosed Snake (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Ground Snake is recorded against all the reptiles logged in Phoenix (44 verified sightings), 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.
