no photo — written note
Animals
A blotched brown snake of northwestern prairies and marshes, often mistaken for a rattlesnake when it buzzes its tail in leaves.
Field facts
HabitatPrairie, marsh edges, farmland
RangeNorthwestern Indiana
When to lookApril to October
StatusLeast Concern; local (Indiana DNR / IUCN Red List)
Look-alikesMassasauga — true rattle, vertical pupils
Field note: Its head can be coppery, adding to the copperhead confusion.
Lesson
Watching responsibly
The tail buzz is a bluff; step back rather than kill.
Your records
No sightings yet. Log one from the Observe tab to earn this stamp.
Log a sighting