Only about 6 percent of the fake serpents with either viper heads or zigzag patterns or both were assaulted, while nearly 15 percent of snakes with neither viper heads nor zigzag patterns were clawed at by raptors. The scientists left the clay snakes out for up to three days and found that replicas with triangular heads got attacked a lot less often than ones without them. 'The place is perfect for this kind of experiment because there is a large amount and variety of raptors (birds of prey) nesting in the area,' Valkonen explained. The researchers took nearly 600 replica serpents into Coto Doñana Natural Park in southern Spain. Some had triangular heads while others had narrower heads some had zigzag patterns on their backs while others were plain. To investigate whether these harmless snakes were contorting their heads to protect themselves, evolutionary biologist and herpetologist Janne Valkonen at the University of Jyvaskyla in Finland and his colleagues experimented with fake snakes made of modeling clay. A number of spiders resemble ants, mimicking them not only physically but in the way they walk, and the extraordinary mimic octopus can shift its color and shape to impersonate anything from sea snakes to stingrays. Protective mimicry is common in the animal kingdom. Researchers suspected they might do so in order to mimic their more dangerous brethren, which many predators would reasonably want to avoid - indeed, viperine snakes also have a zigzag pattern on their backs, something commonly seen in European vipers. The young of both species have bright yellow tails that fade as they grow.Scientists noticed that many grass snakes (Natrix natrix), viperine snakes (Natrix maura) and a number of other nonvenomous serpents could flatten their normally rather narrow heads into triangular shapes.

As their nickname would suggest, they prefer to be in or near the water but can also be found on dry land.Ĭopperheads share their wide-bodied shape and mottled patterns with cottonmouths but are more brightly colored, appearing peachy or bright orange, coppery brown, or even a silvery pink in color. They also sport a distinctive white stripe running down the side of their head. Also known as water moccasins, cottonmouths can range in color from green to black. The Colorīesides rattlesnakes, other slinky suspects to watch out for are cottonmouths and copperheads. This is a heat sensor found on some venomous snakes that the non-venomous type do not have. Look for a depression - or pit - between the eyes and nose. Harmless snakes have round pupils while the ones you want to stay away from have elongated, or cat’s-eye pupil. Related articles: Snake Bites: What to Do & Not to Do on the Trail & Treating a Rattlesnake Bite The EyesĪnother quick way to identify venomous snakes is to look at the eyes.

The head is more in proportion to the rest of the body. Non-venomous snakes have a more rounded head and nose. Venomous snakes tend to have a larger head with a broad, triangular shape and more slender neck. Some harmless snakes will vibrate their tail in the underbrush to mimic the sound of their more dangerous counterparts. Rattlesnakes - for example - are identified by their namesake hollow rattles at the tips of their tails. Here are some simple tips to help you identify venomous snakes. While odds are good that the snake you’ve just seen on the trail is likely harmless, knowing quick ways to identify venomous snakes can be an important outdoor survival skill. Of those, about one quarter are venomous. There are more than one hundred species of snakes in North America.

Snake head shapes