Welcome to the Kentucky snake identification page. This page was designed to allow county extension agents, educators, homeowner, gardener, camper, birdwatcher, students, tourists, and other interested individuals to make field identification of snakes easier. If you are a herpetologist or biologist (either professional or amateur) you will be disappointed due to the generalized nature of this site. This is not a technical guide to the snakes of Kentucky. If you desire a positive identification please contact the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources or a biologist at your local college or university.

Anyone can identify snakes and it is often not necessary to count scale rows or examine fine details. This page is designed for you to make some basic decisions including color, pattern, distribution, and habitat. Some snakes are easy to identify on color and pattern alone. The rough green snake is what is called a "slam dunk" identification because this snake can not be confused with anyother snake found in Kentucky. Other snakes can be more difficult to identify because there are a variety of color forms and several different varieties or subspecies of that particular snake. For instance, both the southern and northern copperhead snakes occur in Kentucky. The snakes listed on this page are based upon the distribution maps of Conant and Collins 1998, Peterson Field Guide to the Reptiles and Amphibians, EasternCentral North America. The distribution maps are provided to give the reader a generalized sense of where the snake occurs in Kentucky, not specific counties. The photographs have been provided by Tom Barnes, Extension Wildlife Specialist at the University of Kentucky and John MacGregor.