In flight, look for the dark triangle of “armpit” feathers that distinguish it from other light-colored falcons. Extra Fun-facts . Size. 4 things you need to know about prairie rattlesnakes. If the snake is … They are afraid of you, and prairie rattlesnakes, most commonly found in Northern Colorado, are the least aggressive rattlesnake. The bison, a relative of cattle, is native to the North American prairie. https://www.nps.gov/yell/learn/nature/prairie-rattlesnake.htm Pygmy Rattlesnake. The massasauga (Sistrurus catenatus) is a rattlesnake species found in midwestern North America from southern Ontario to northern Mexico and parts of the United States in between. Some animal species contribute to the prairie ecosystem’s agricultural value. Colorado State Statutes state that "any person may kill rattlesnakes when necessary to protect life or property" [33-6-107(9), C.R.S. Scientific Name: Crotalus horridus. Check out this video of rattlesnakes mating. Life Span. Red Diamond Rattles... Rhinoceros viper. These snakes can live approximately 15-20 years in captivity. A raptor of the West’s wide-open spaces, Prairie Falcons glide above shrubby deserts and grasslands searching for ground squirrels and other small mammals and birds. Much of a rattlesnake’s diet consists of mice, voles and shrews. LIFE SPAN: 30 years. The Prairie Rattlesnake is a small game species in Colorado that may be taken from June 15–August 15, with a daily bag limit of 3 and a possession limit of 6. Rattlesnakes like rocky outcroppings, grasslands, rocky stream crossings and ledges. Like all rattlesnakes, it is a pit viper, and like all pit vipers, it is venomous ... Prairie Rattlesnake. This snake ranges in size from 3 to 5 feet long with a few reaching 7 feet long. News Sports Business NoCo Life Opinion Obituaries E-Edition Legals. Thus, they help to control these species and reduce the risk of transmittable disease to humans, like Hantavirus. Prairie rattlesnakes are an important part of the mixed-grass prairie ecosystem, as they play a critical role in the local food web. Category: Viper. Rock Rattlesnake. BY KELLY … Species native to the dry prairie include the timber rattlesnake and the greater prairie-chicken, which is nearly extinct in most other prairie ecosystems. Let us now discuss the sex life of the rattlesnake. Most snakes lay eggs but rattlesnakes give birth to live babies. Puff adder. Common Name: Timber rattlesnake. Though they breed in the summer, rattlesnake females store the sperm and do not reproduce until the following spring. ]. MORE IN VIPER CATEGORY. Rough-scaled bush … The rattle of the rattlesnake is made up of a protein called keratin (the same protein that your hair and fingernails are made of). Rattlesnake moms, though, are not exactly nurturing. Three subspecies are currently recognized including the nominate subspecies described here. Subscribe. They den in prairie dog burrows, rock crevices or caves. Family: Viperidae. Prairie Kingsnake (Lampropeltis calligaster calligaster) Found primarily throughout the Midwestern and Southeastern United States, from Nebraska to Virginia, Texas and Florida, this subspecies is the nominate form that has a light brown or grayish appearance and reddish brown blotching across its length.