Perhaps the most commonly sighted snake of arid regions of North
America is the coachwhip (Masticophis sometimes Coluber,
flagellum), which is often seen sunning itself on desert roads and
tracks in the early-to-late morning hours, On average this long,
slender whiplike snake is some 1.2 meters (4 ft) long—though it can
be as much as twice that length—and has a tail marked like a plaited
whip,
The coachwhip’s dorsal cotoration is predominantly tan or gray to
reddish, with a pinkish underbody, a ligtit-brown head, and a black
neck with thin white crossbars. The eastern subspecies tends to be
brownish, while western subspecies tend to be reddish. As the
western subspecies gets older, it begins to take on a more distinct
reddish appearance.
The coachwhip is a swift and aggressive hunter, and is perhaps the
fastest snake in the Americas—perhaps occasionally moving at 11
kilometers per hour (7 mph)—giving it its popular name of “red” or
“black racer.” It preys on lizards, small mammals, large insects, and
occasionally even young rattlesnakes, killing by biting while the prey
is pinned under Its coils. In defense it bites with a jerk of the head,
causing a torn wound, It is nonvenomous and, despite its aggressive
behavior, is sometimes successfully kept as a pet.