Pantherophis bairdi
Pantherophis bairdi is a harmless colubrid snake species endemic to the southwestern United States and adjacent northeastern Mexico. No subspecies are currently recognized. Geographic range. "P. bairdi" is found in the United States in the Big Bend region of western Texas, as well as in northern Mexico in the Mexican states of Coahuila, Nuevo León, and Tamaulipas. Known to be elusive and hard to find in the wild. Etymology. The specific name, "bairdi", as well as several of the common names, are in honor of American zoologist Spencer Fullerton Baird. Description. Adults of "P. bairdi" may reach in  total length (body + tail). The dorsal color pattern consists of an orange-yellow to bright yellow, or a darker salmon ground color, overlaid with four stripes that run from the neck to the tail. The belly is generally gray to yellow, darkening near the tail. Diet. The primary diet of "P. bairdi" consists of rodents, although they will also prey on birds. Juveniles often eat lizards. Behavior. Baird's rat snake is typically more pleasantly tempered than other rat snake species. Reproduction. "P. bairdi" is oviparous. Adult females may lay a clutch of up to 10 eggs that take  about 3 months to hatch. Habitat. "P. bairdi" prefers semi-arid, rocky habitats. Common names. Baird's rat snake, Baird's ratsnake, Baird's pilot snake, Baird's Coluber, Great Bend rat snake. Taxonomy. "Pantherophis bairdi" has sometimes been considered a subspecies of "Pantherophis obsoletus", to which it is closely related. "Pantherophis bairdi" has often been placed in the genus "Elaphe", but recent phylogenetic analyses have resulted in its transfer to the genus "Pantherophis".