Western Diamondback Rattlesnakes in the Phoenix area aren’t all grey. Some can be reddish or have hints of orange, and some rich brown tones like this one.
A Brown Western Diamondback Rattlesnake
Category: Crotalus
Southwestern Speckled Rattlesnake in Bighorn Mountains
A Southwestern Speckled Rattlesnake from a mountain range in western Arizona. This is one of a couple seen on a sunrise hike on what would be a very hot day. It was spotted crossing a wash from a sandy rise in the center, where it had likely spent the night in ambush. As temperatures approached 100˚F at around 7am, this snake needed to get to deep cover, and it knew right where to go.
Arizona Black Rattlesnake In The Grass
An Arizona Black Rattlesnake resting in partial cover. These snakes spend a lot of time on the surface, hiding in and as shadows to evade detection by predators and prey.
Arizona Black Rattlesnake In The Sun
A large Blacktailed Rattlesnake from the southeastern corner of Arizona. These snakes can be beautiful – a high contrast black and yellow with rainbow iridescence in the sunlight.
Arizona Black Rattlesnake At Its Den
One of a few Arizona Black Rattlesnakes hanging out at an overwintering site, ready and waiting for the cold to come. This was photographed in the fall at high elevation, where rattlesnakes gather in sometimes large numbers to den together in deep retreats.
This species is what locals often mistakenly refer to as “Timber Rattlesnake”, which it is not. Timber Rattlesnakes are a real snake, however, but not closely related to this one, and not found in the Western US.
Western Diamondback Rattlesnake Basking Under Cover
A Western Diamondback Rattlesnake basking in partial cover. This is how rattlesnakes and other reptiles typically thermoregulate. Filtered light and conduction from nearby surfaces and substrate can help them tune in on the right temperatures to a fine degree, all while avoiding detection by predators and prey. This is also a reminder of why it’s best to stay on established trails and keep dogs on leash when hiking in the spring.
Speckled Rattlesnake In Central Phoenix
A Southwestern Speckled Rattlesnake as they typically appear around Camelback Mountain in central Phoenix. It’s a surprise to many that multiple species of rattlesnakes are still present within a heavily populated urban area, but they continue to thrive there. Excessive heat from a surrounding sea of pavement makes life difficult in the summer, however, which often leads to encounters at adjacent homes with rattlesnakes looking to cool off in the lawns and citrus oasis of Paradise Valley.
Arizona Black Rattlesnake from Mohave County, Arizona
An Arizona Black Rattlesnake from the western end of their range. Locals in the area often refer to them as “timber rattlers”, though actual Timber Rattlesnakes are a distinct species that is not found in the western states. This one was found on a relatively cold, rainy weekend in August, active on the surface just before the area was saturated.
Blacktailed Rattlesnake From Central Arizona
A Blacktailed Rattlesnake from central Arizona. These snakes are often a green shade, leading to misidentification as a Mojave Rattlesnake (which, ironically, are seldom green in many areas). These are large rattlesnakes that live in mountainous terrain, commonly seen by hikers but rarely by homeowners.
Panamint Rattlesnake With A Meal
We saw this Panamint Rattlesnake crossing a road with a bulge from a recent successful hunt. It had likely just happened, and we were seeing the animal moving back to cover. Typically, immediately after a rattlesnake eats, it will spend time moving in and out of cover to bask and digest, and be protected from predators in its less mobile state.
