White-headed snake

White-headed snake

Enuliophis sclateri

Silhouette: Alex Slavenko · PhyloPic

LCLeast ConcernNTVUENCR
Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
at Piedras Blancas National Park

In 3 days ~40% in a week ~60%

7 Verified sightings at Piedras Blancas National Park From 2019 to 2026
29 In all 4 parks
August Best month
🌙 Nocturnal When it's spotted

About the White-headed snake

The Colombian longtail snake (Enuliophis sclateri), also known commonly as the sock-headed snake and the white-headed snake, is a species of snake in the family Colubridae. The species is native to the humid forests of Central America and northern South America.

The species was first described by George Albert Boulenger in 1894 under the name Leptocalamus sciateri. The species was later placed in Enulius, and remained there until 1993, when James R. McCranie and Jaime Villa designated the species as the sole member of the new genus Enuliophis, which as of 2026 remains monotypic.

The name Enuliophis is derived from the Greek words hen (one), oule (scar or mark) and ophis (snake), and is allusion to the genus Enulius, the species of which, according to James R. McCranie, Enuliophis sciateri shares a resemblance with.

The specific name, sclateri, is in honor of British zoologist Philip Lutley Sclater, who donated the holotype to the British Museum (Natural History), where Boulenger worked. E. sclateri can be found in the humid forests of Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, and Colombia, at elevations ranging from sea level... Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Piedras Blancas National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~10%
2 Braulio Carrillo National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~10%
3 Cahuita National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~10%
4 Arenal Volcano National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~10%

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a White-headed snake in Piedras Blancas National Park?

With luck

About 10% of wildlife watchers report a White-headed snake sighting in Piedras Blancas National Park on a given day, based on 7 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 32nd most-seen of the 35 reptiles we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 40%, and over a week to about 60%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see a White-headed snake in Piedras Blancas National Park?

May and August

In those months about 30% of wildlife watchers report a White-headed snake in Piedras Blancas National Park on a given day, against under 5% in March–April, June–July, September–October and December–January, the lowest months.

What time of day is best to see a White-headed snake?

Between 7 and 10 pm

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most White-headed snake sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 pm and 6 am: it is mostly seen at night.

Is Piedras Blancas National Park the best place to see a White-headed snake?

Yes

Of the 4 parks where we can rate White-headed snake sightings, Piedras Blancas National Park has the highest daily chance: about 10%. Next come Braulio Carrillo National Park (Costa Rica, about 10%) and Cahuita National Park (Costa Rica, about 10%).

Which relatives of the White-headed snake live in Piedras Blancas National Park?

Same family: Colubridae

The closest relatives of the White-headed snake that you can see in Piedras Blancas National Park (family Colubridae, Colubrid Snakes) are Ornate Cat-eyed Snake (about 40%), Puffing Snake (about 30%) and Blunthead Tree Snake (about 30%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.

Where does the White-headed snake sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the White-headed snake is recorded against all the reptiles logged in Piedras Blancas National Park (7 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.

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