A Guide to the Amphibians
and Reptiles of California

California Rattlesnakes

Click on a picture for a larger view

Rattling Sounds

There are 7 different species of rattlesnakes found in California. Two of these species consist of more than one subspecies, making a total of 10 different kinds of rattlesnakes found in the state. All have a blotched pattern on the back and a rattle on the end of the tail which the snake sometimes uses as a warning sound. (This rattle is sometimes missing on young snakes and may be broken off on adults, so don't assume that a snake with no rattle is not a rattlesnake.) Caution! All rattlesnakes in California are venomous and potentially dangerous.
To identify a snake, look for a picture that is similar to the snake you want to identify, clicking on it to enlarge it if necessary. Read the brief descriptions of behavior and habitat, and if it fits your snake, click on the link to continue your search. All of these snakes can vary in appearance, so if you don't see one here that looks like the snake you want to identify, check the range maps to see which species occur in your area, then look at the pictures found on the page for each individual snake.
California Rattlesnakes
1	Crotalus atrox	Western Diamond-backed Rattlesnake	Baird and Girard, 1853
	Crotalus cerastes	Sidewinder	Hallowell, 1854
2	Crotalus cerastes cerastes	Mohave Desert Sidewinder	Hallowell, 1854
3	Crotalus cerastes laterorepens	Colorado Desert Sidewinder	Klauber, 1944
4	Crotalus mitchellii pyrrhus	Southwestern Speckled Rattlesnake	Cope, 1867
	Crotalus oreganus	Western Rattlesnake	Holbrook, 1840
5	Crotalus oreganus helleri	Southern Pacific Rattlesnake	Meek, 1905
6	Crotalus oreganus lutosus	Great Basin Rattlesnake	Klauber, 1930
7	Crotalus oreganus oreganus	Northern Pacific Rattlesnake	Holbrook, 1840
8	Crotalus ruber	Red Diamond Rattlesnake	Cope, 1892
9	Crotalus scutulatus scutulatus	Northern Mohave Rattlesnake	Kennicott, 1861
10	Crotalus stephensi	Panamint Rattlesnake	Klauber, 1930

1. Western Diamondback Large rattlesnake, found in the southern deserts in the southeast corner of the state. This rattlesnake has black and white rings around the tail. The rings are about equal in width. Active day and night. For tips on distinguishing this species from the similar Northern Mohave Rattlesnake, click on the link under the photo above.


Sidewinders Small rattlesnakes with unique sideways locomotion. Found in open sandy areas in the southern deserts. Active at night and sometimes during the day. A small horn-like projection is visible above each eye.

2. Mohave Desert Sidewinder

		3. Colorado Desert Sidewinder

4. Southwestern Speckled Rattlesnake Large rattlesnake, found mainly in rocky areas in the southern deserts and south coast. Saddled pattern on adults appears slightly faded, not distinctly outlined, unlike other rattlesnakes in its range. Color changes to match the rocks in its habitat. Active at night and day.


Western Rattlesnakes The most commonly seen rattlesnake in California, found throughout the state, except the southern deserts. Active day and night. Often seen while hiking in undisturbed areas, or on roads at night. These rattlesnakes do not have black and white rings around the tail. They may have dark and light rings, but not black and white.

5. Southern Pacific Rattlesnake

6. Great Basin Rattlesnake

7. Northern Pacific Rattlesnake

8. Red Diamond Rattlesnake Large rattlesnake, found in the Colorado desert and south coastal region. Active day and night. Color is various shades of reddish brown.


9. Northern Mohave Rattlesnake Large rattlesnake found in the Mohave Desert. Active at night, and sometimes during the day. This rattlsnake has black and white rings around the tail. The black bands are smaller than the white bands. For tips on distinguishing this species from the similar Western Diamond-backed Rattlesnake, click on the link under the photo above.


10. Panamint Rattlesnake Large rattlesnake, found mainly in rocky areas in the northern and eastern Mohave Desert. Saddled pattern on adults appears slightly faded, not distinctly outlined, unlike other rattlesnakes in its range. Color changes to match the rocks in its habitat. Active at night and day.


California Rattlesnakes Range Maps

	WESTERN DIAMOND-BACKED RATTLESNAKE	SIDEWINDER	SOUTHWESTERN SPECKLED RATTLESNAKE	WESTERN RATTLESNAKE
	1. Crotalus atrox	2. R ed: Crotalus cerastes cerastes - Mohave Desert Sidewinder 3. Green: Crotalus cerastes laterorepens - Colorado Desert Sidewinder	4. Red: Crotalus mitchellii pyrrhus	5. G reen: Crotalus oreganus helleri (=Crotalus helleri) - Southern Pacific Rattlesnake 6. Orange: Crotalus oreganus lutosus (=Crotalus lutosus) - Great Basin Rattlesnake 7. Red: Crotalus oreganus oreganus (=Crotalus oreganus) - Northern Pacific Rattlesnake

	RED DIAMOND RATTLESNAKE	NORTHERN MOHAVE RATTLESNAKE	PANAMINT RATTLESNAKE
	8. Crotalus ruber	9. Crotalus scutulatus scutulatus	10. Green: Crotalus stephensI
Frank Buchter contributed this chart to help identify rattlesnakes in California other than sidewinders.

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