Viperidae
Sidewinder
Crotalus cerastes
A closer look
Sidewinder (Crotalus cerastes) is native to 4 U.S. jurisdictions, including Arizona, California, and Nevada. This venomous pit viper that relies on camouflage and a rapid strike is most often associated with woodland, grassland, desert, or rocky country and typically feeds on rodents, birds, lizards, frogs, or other available prey.
- Habitat
- Woodland, grassland, desert, or rocky country
- On the menu
- Rodents, birds, lizards, frogs, or other available prey
- Behavior
- A sit-and-wait hunter that relies on camouflage, heat-sensing pits, and a rapid strike.
A suspected bite needs emergency medical care. Do not wait for symptoms or use this guide to judge severity.
Safety & bite guidance ↗Where it is listed
A sense of place.
Checklist presence only. A highlighted state is not a local range boundary. Territory tiles are schematic.
State & territory checklist
About continuous range data
A verified habitat-model layer is not available for this species in this release. Earlier broad sketches connected jurisdiction locations; they did not show measured occurrence or USGS habitat predictions.
Use USGS distribution resources ↗ for available modeled habitat data.
Names, sources & image evidence
Also known as: No additional names recorded.
Taxonomy: provisional. Territory checklist entries may be provisional. Field descriptions include broad group-level natural-history summaries.
Research Grade iNaturalist observation 1361107 has exact taxon Crotalus cerastes
Conservation & local rules
Collection, possession, relocation, and protection rules vary by state and territory. Check the relevant wildlife agency before taking action. Leave wild snakes where they are.