Colubridae
California Kingsnake
Lampropeltis californiae
A closer look
California Kingsnake (Lampropeltis californiae) is native to 7 U.S. jurisdictions, including Arizona, California, and Colorado. This nonvenomous constrictor with bold patterning is most often associated with woodland, grassland, farms, rocky slopes, and sheltered surface cover and typically feeds on snakes, lizards, rodents, birds, and eggs.
- Habitat
- Woodland, grassland, farms, rocky slopes, and sheltered surface cover
- On the menu
- Snakes, lizards, rodents, birds, and eggs
- Behavior
- A flexible hunter whose activity and escape behavior vary with habitat and temperature.
Not considered venomous to people. Observe without handling, and never corner or relocate a wild snake.
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: reviewed. Territory checklist entries may be provisional. Field descriptions include broad group-level natural-history summaries.
Research Grade iNaturalist observation 46962 has exact taxon Lampropeltis californiae
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.