Sistrurus miliarius
Silhouette: Steven Traver · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~40%
Common names: pygmy rattlesnake, eastern pygmy rattlesnake, ground rattlesnake, leaf rattler, death rattler, more. Sistrurus miliarius, commonly called the pygmy rattlesnake, is a species of venomous snake in the subfamily Crotalinae (pit vipers) of the family Viperidae. The species is endemic to the Southeastern United States. Three subspecies are currently recognized.
Sistrurus miliarius is a small species, but bulky in width, with adults usually growing to 40–60 cm (16–24 in) in total length (including tail). It is the smallest species of rattlesnake on the North American continent. The maximum reported total length is 78.8 cm (31.0 in) (Klauber, 1972). Petersburg, Florida. Shine (1978) suggested that in some populations, males may be larger than females, but a later study by Bishop et al. (1996) did not find sexual dimorphism of any kind in a population in Volusia County, Florida. It is currently theorized that the lack... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Everglades National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge | 🇺🇸 United States |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Pygmy Rattlesnake sighting in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge on a given day, based on 12 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 28th most-seen of the 35 reptiles we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 40%, if each day is a fresh chance.
October and November
In those months about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Pygmy Rattlesnake in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge on a given day, against under 5% in May to September, the lowest months.
Between 7 and 10 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Pygmy Rattlesnake sightings with a recorded time, and about half of them come between 6 pm and 6 am: it is seen both by day and at night.
Among the best
Of the 2 parks where we can rate Pygmy Rattlesnake sightings, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge ranks 2nd at about 10%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Everglades National Park (United States, about 10%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Pygmy Rattlesnake is recorded against all the reptiles logged in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge (12 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.
