Buford Park & Mt. Pisgah
HERPTILE -
HERPTILES
denoting, relating to, or
characterizing both reptiles and amphibians.
Buford Park is home to several
sensitive herptile species.
The Western Pond Turtle (above) is
being impacted by the Red-eared Slider
and the Red-legged Frog (below) is
now competing with the American
Bullfrog.
Buford Park is a special place
that is home to many different
herptiles including: Snakes, Lizards,
Salamanders turtles, Frogs and Newts.
Pictures by Megan Faber and Rick Faber
Designed by Megan Faber
Friends of Buford Park
& Mt. Pisgah
I D E N T I F I C AT I O N
Ring-Necked Snake
Western Racer
Pacific Gopher Snake
8-34 in.
Slender olive,
brown, bluegray or black
with a yellow
or orange neck
band and an
orange to red
underside.
Lives in woodland, forest, grassland, gardens.
Eats frogs, lizards, insects, slugs, earthworms.
20-36 in.
Plain olive
or brown top
and unmarked
whitish or pale
yellow underneath.
Lives in meadows, forest
glades, sagebrush flats. Eats small mammals,
birds, reptiles, frogs, insects.
30-110 in.
Yellow or
cream with
black, brown,
or reddish
brown dorsal
blotches, smaller blotches on
the sides. Lives
in grassland and open brushland. Eats rodents,
rabbits, moles and birds.
Garter Snake
Rough-Skinned Newt
Oregon Ensatina
18-55 in
Common: Black
with sides with
red or orange
blotches, broad
pale dorsal stripe.
Western Terresterial: defined
yellow, orangeyellow or white stripes on sides and back separated by black or gray-brown, pale belly. Lives
in grassland, woodland, scrub, forest. Eats fish,
toads, frogs, newts, worms, slugs.
2 1/4- 4 in.
Black to brown
back, yellow
to reddish-orange belly. Eyes
relatively small
and don’t extend
beyond outline
of the head when
viewed from above. Lives in grassland, woodland
and forests. Found in open, under rocks, logs, or
bark. Those that live in lakes may have dorsal
blotches. Poisonous when consumed.
1 1/2- 4 in.
Usually light
brown back with
light-colored
speckles, underside whitish to
pale yellow or
yellow-orange
with fine black
speckling. “Swollen” or constricted tail at base.
Yellow or orange leg bases. Lives in forests, under rotting logs, bark, and rocks.
Aligator Lizard
Western Fence Lizard
Western Skink
2 3/4 -7 in
Tail can grow
to twice length
of body.
Northern:
Crossbands
irregular, gray,
olive, greenish
or bluish back.
Black eyes. Southern: Usually well defined,
regular crossbands on back and tail. Yellow eyes.
Lives in grasslands, oak woodland, wood piles.
Eats slugs, insects, centipedes, and spiders.
2-4 in.
Black, gray, or
brown blotched
pattern. Bright
blue on throat
and sides of
belly (pale
or absent on
females and
young). Lives in grassland, sagebrush, woodland,
coniferous forest, and farmland. Seen on fenceposts, rocks, logs, or wood piles. Eats insects and
spiders.
2-3 1/2 in.
Broad brown
stripe down
back, edged
with black and
bordered on
each side by a
whitish to beige
stripe, then a broad black or brown band. Reddish
to orange head and chin. Young have a bright
blue tail that may be lost to predator or fades
with age. Lives in grassland and pine and juniper
forests. Eats insects, spiders, and sowbugs.