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Species Profile

Smooth Snake

Coronella austriaca

Smooth scales. Silent hunter.
iStock.com/phototrip

Smooth Snake Distribution

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Found in 39 countries

A smooth snake raising its head slightly

At a Glance

Wild Species
Also Known As Austrian smooth snake, Couleuvre lisse, Glattnatter, Gladde slang, Culebra lisa europea, Colubro liscio europeo
Diet Carnivore
Activity Diurnal+
Lifespan 10 years
Weight 0.2 lbs
Status Least Concern
Did You Know?

Despite its name, it's not slimy-its dorsal scales are unkeeled ("smooth"), unlike many European snakes.

Scientific Classification

A small, non-venomous European colubrid snake known for its smooth-looking dorsal scales and secretive habits; it primarily preys on lizards and small vertebrates.

Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Chordata
Class
Reptilia
Order
Squamata
Family
Colubridae
Genus
Coronella
Species
austriaca

Distinguishing Features

  • Small-to-medium slender snake with a relatively narrow head not strongly distinct from the neck
  • Smooth, glossy appearance compared with many other snakes; often grey/brown with subtle darker markings
  • Dark eye stripe and facial markings are common; pupils round (typical of many colubrids)
  • Non-venomous; frequently mistaken for vipers in areas of overlap

Physical Measurements

Males and females differ in size

Length
♂ 1 ft 12 in (1 ft 8 in – 2 ft 7 in)
♀ 1 ft 12 in (1 ft 8 in – 2 ft 11 in)
Weight
♂ 0 lbs (0 lbs – 0 lbs)
♀ 0 lbs (0 lbs – 0 lbs)
Tail Length
♂ 5 in (4 in – 6 in)
♀ 4 in (3 in – 5 in)
Top Speed
1 mph
slithering

Appearance

Primary Colors
Brown Gray Tan
Secondary Colors
Black Cream Red Orange
Skin Type Dry, smooth-looking (unkeeled) dorsal scales with a glossy sheen; small head scales and relatively flat head profile.
Distinctive Features
  • Typical adult total length 50-70 cm; maximum recorded about 90 cm (species accounts/field atlases).
  • Round pupil (not the vertical slit pupil of the European adder, Vipera berus).
  • Distinct dark eye stripe (naris → eye → neck) is a key field mark.
  • Lacks the bright yellow/white neck collar typical of the grass snake (Natrix natrix/helvetica).
  • Dorsal scales are smooth (adder scales strongly keeled), giving a sleek appearance.
  • Secretive, sheltering species of dry heathland/rough grassland; UK strongholds include Dorset-Hampshire-Surrey heaths.
  • Non-venomous colubrid; subdues prey by constriction-diet strongly lizard-biased (e.g., sand lizard and common lizard).

Sexual Dimorphism

Females are typically longer-bodied/heavier, while males usually have proportionally longer tails with more subcaudal scales. Color and dorsal pattern are broadly similar between sexes, with overlap and high individual variation.

♂
  • Proportionally longer tail; more subcaudal scales.
  • Often slightly narrower body profile at the same total length.
♀
  • On average larger total length and mass.
  • Proportionally shorter tail; fewer subcaudal scales.

Did You Know?

Despite its name, it's not slimy-its dorsal scales are unkeeled ("smooth"), unlike many European snakes.

Adults are typically 60-70 cm long; recorded maxima are around 80 cm (occasionally reported slightly longer).

It is non-venomous and kills prey by constriction, commonly targeting lizards (e.g., slow worms and true lizards).

It's one of only three native snake species in Great Britain, with strongholds mainly on southern lowland heaths (notably Dorset, Hampshire, Surrey).

Unlike adders (vipers), smooth snakes have round pupils and no bold zigzag dorsal stripe.

Females give birth to live young (viviparous/ovoviviparous), commonly 2-15 neonates depending on female size and conditions.

It is highly secretive: many populations are present but rarely seen without targeted surveys and careful habitat searches.

Unique Adaptations

  • Unkeeled (smooth) dorsal scales reduce friction and may aid movement through dense heather, leaf litter, and tight crevices compared with strongly keeled-scaled species.
  • Cryptic coloration and eye stripe: brown/grey base with darker markings and a dark line through/behind the eye helps break up the head outline in dappled ground cover.
  • Small, not strongly distinct head and round pupil: a "colubrid look" that helps distinguish it from the broader-headed, vertical-pupilled vipers (adders).
  • Cold-tolerant, northern-edge persistence: survives in cooler parts of Europe and the UK by using warm microhabitats (south-facing heaths, sandy banks) and extended sheltering.
  • Live-bearing reproduction (in much of its range): reduces the need for warm egg-incubation sites and suits cooler climates where laying eggs would be risky.
  • Dietary specialization: jaw and feeding behavior well-suited to elongate, active prey (lizards/slow worms), including handling prey that can autotomize (shed) tails.

Interesting Behaviors

  • Secretive, cover-dependent lifestyle: frequently shelters under heather, stones, logs, or artificial refuges; often detected via survey mats/tins rather than open basking.
  • Lizard-specialist foraging: actively searches warm habitat edges and uses ambush near cover; juveniles take smaller lizards and large invertebrates more often than adults.
  • Constriction and precise handling: typically seizes prey and coils quickly; can subdue relatively large lizards by pinning the head and compressing the torso.
  • Thermoregulation by brief basking: usually basks for short periods then slips back under cover-especially in open heath where predation risk is high.
  • Seasonal cycle: active mainly spring-early autumn; overwinters in frost-free refuges (hibernacula), sometimes communally with other reptiles.
  • Breeding behavior: mating typically in spring (sometimes also late summer in parts of the range); males may follow female scent trails and engage in close pursuit.
  • Defensive repertoire: may flatten the head slightly, hiss, musk, or strike defensively; commonly remains still and relies on camouflage rather than fleeing long distances.

Cultural Significance

In the UK, Coronella austriaca helps protect and restore lowland heath (heather, gorse, sandy patches) and guides fire, plant growth, and people's use. Across Europe it is seen as a harmless snake, so education teaches ID (round pupils, no viper zigzag, no grass‑snake collar) and its role eating small vertebrates.

Myths & Legends

St. Patrick and the snakes (Ireland): medieval Irish tradition says St. Patrick drove snakes from Ireland-often invoked in British and Irish storytelling about snakes generally, even though Ireland has no native snake populations today.

Norse myth of Jormungand (Midgard Serpent): a world-encircling sea serpent that bites its own tail; when it releases its tail, Ragnarok begins-part of northern Europe's long tradition of serpents as cosmic forces.

Greek healing cult of Asclepius: sacred snakes kept at Asclepieia symbolized renewal and healing (linked to shedding skin), shaping enduring European associations between snakes and medicine.

Slavic and Baltic household-snake traditions: in some regional folk beliefs, a "house snake" living near the home or hearth could bring protection or fortune if respected-reflecting a widespread European motif of snakes as guardian spirits.

Welsh/West Country "wyrm" tales: British folklore includes dragon/serpent "worms" inhabiting hills and heaths; while not species-specific, these stories influenced how rural communities historically interpreted any secretive snake on the landscape.

Conservation Status

LC Least Concern

Widespread and abundant in the wild.

Population Decreasing

Protected Under

  • EU Habitats Directive 92/43/EEC (Annex IV - strict protection)
  • Bern Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats (Appendix II)
  • United Kingdom: Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (Schedule 5)

Life Cycle

Birth 6 hatchlings
Lifespan 10 years

Lifespan

In the Wild
4–18 years
In Captivity
8–25 years

Reproduction

Mating System Promiscuity
Social Structure Solitary
Breeding Pattern Seasonal
Fertilization Internal Fertilization
Birth Type Internal_fertilization

Solitary adults meet briefly in spring (typically April-May; occasional autumn mating). Males actively search and can mate with multiple females; females may also mate multiply and store sperm. Copulation uses hemipenes; females give birth to live young in late summer.

Behavior & Ecology

Social Aggregation Group: 1
Activity Diurnal, Crepuscular
Diet Carnivore Small reptiles-especially lizards and slow worms (commonly reported as the dominant prey group in dietary studies of Coronella austriaca; e.g., Speybroeck et al., 2016; Arnold & Ovenden, 2002).
Seasonal Hibernates

Temperament

Secretive, refuge-oriented species; spends long periods concealed under heather, stones, or logs (Reading 1997; Speybroeck et al. 2016).
Generally non-aggressive; defensive behaviors include freezing, rapid retreat, musking, and biting when handled (Arnold & Ovenden 2002).
Across its range, activity is mostly daytime basking/foraging; in hotter conditions it shifts toward crepuscular periods (Reading 1997; Speybroeck et al. 2016).
Sociality is minimal; brief mating interactions and occasional communal hibernation/basking cause temporary tolerance of conspecifics (Reading 1997).
Adult total length commonly ~50-70 cm, with reported maxima around ~80 cm; small-bodied and slender compared with many colubrids (Arnold & Ovenden 2002; Speybroeck et al. 2016).
Reproduction is viviparous; females give birth to live young (typical late summer), reducing need for communal nesting behavior (Speybroeck et al. 2016).

Communication

Occasional hissing from forced exhalation during defense; no true vocal communication Arnold & Ovenden 2002
Chemical: tongue-flicking with vomeronasal sensing to follow prey and locate mates via pheromones Halpern 1992; Arnold & Ovenden 2002
Tactile: courtship involves close body contact and alignment; males may restrain females during copulation Greene 1997; Reading 1997
Chemical marking: cloacal/skin scent cues likely mediate mate recognition and individual assessment, as in many colubrids Halpern 1992; Greene 1997
Visual/postural: defensive flattening, head hiding, and directed strikes communicate threat at close range Arnold & Ovenden 2002
Vibrational/mechanical: substrate vibrations and sudden movement function in deterrence/escape rather than long-distance signaling Greene 1997

Habitat

Woodland Deciduous Forest Coniferous Forest Shrubland Grassland Cliff/Rocky Outcrop Mountain Agricultural/Farmland Suburban +3
Biomes:
Temperate Forest Temperate Grassland Mediterranean Boreal Forest (Taiga) Alpine
Terrain:
Mountainous Hilly Plateau Plains Valley Rocky
Elevation: Up to 7545 ft 11 in

Ecological Role

Mesopredator specializing on small reptiles, linking reptile-rich heathland/edge habitats to higher trophic levels.

Regulates local populations of small reptiles (lizards/slow worms) and, secondarily, small mammals through predation Supports energy transfer in terrestrial food webs (prey for raptors and mammalian predators) Serves as an indicator of structurally diverse habitats with healthy reptile communities (frequently used in European herpetofaunal monitoring contexts)

Diet Details

Main Prey:
Lizards Sand lizard Slow worm Small squamates Small mammals Nestling birds

Human Interaction

Domestication Status

Wild

Coronella austriaca (European smooth snake) is wild and not domesticated. This secretive, ground-living colubrid lives in heathlands, open woodland edges, rocky slopes, and mixed sunny/dense habitats. Adults usually reach 60–80 cm (up to ~90 cm). Lifespan about 10+ years wild, 15–20 years in captivity. Human interaction focuses on protection and habitat management; capture is often banned.

Danger Level

Low
  • Non-venomous; may bite defensively if handled, usually causing minor superficial punctures.
  • Standard reptile-associated zoonotic risk (e.g., Salmonella) if hygiene is poor after handling enclosures/animals.
  • Human safety risk is more commonly indirect: misidentification as a viper can lead to unnecessary killing/handling incidents.

As a Pet

Not Suitable as Pet

Legality: Smooth Snake (Coronella austriaca) is not suitable as a pet. Widely protected in Europe (Bern Convention Appendix II). In Great Britain, capture, sale or possession without licence is illegal. Permits and proof of captive breeding are usually required.

Care Level: Experienced

Purchase Cost: Up to $200
Lifetime Cost: $800 - $2,500

Economic Value

Uses:
Conservation value Education/outreach value Ecosystem services (predation on small vertebrates)
Products:
  • No mainstream commercial products; value is primarily non-consumptive (biodiversity, research, education).

Relationships

Predators 10

Short-toed snake eagle Circaetus gallicus
Common buzzard
Common buzzard Buteo buteo
Eurasian kestrel Falco tinnunculus
Carrion crow Corvus corone
Red fox
Red fox Vulpes vulpes
European badger Meles meles
Least weasel Mustela nivalis
European pine marten
European pine marten Martes martes
Wild boar
Wild boar Sus scrofa
Cat
Cat Felis silvestris catus

Related Species 5

Southern smooth snake Coronella girondica Shared Genus
Grass snake
Grass snake Natrix natrix Shared Order
Barred grass snake Natrix helvetica Shared Order
Aesculapian snake
Aesculapian snake Zamenis longissimus Shared Family
Green whip snake
Green whip snake Hierophis viridiflavus Shared Family

Ecological Equivalents 3

Animals that fill a similar ecological role in their ecosystem

European adder
European adder Vipera berus Both share cool-temperate heathland and wood-edge habitats in northern and central Europe and use similar basking sites. The smooth snake (Coronella austriaca) is non-venomous, primarily lizard-eating, about 60–70 cm long, and gives birth to roughly 3–15 young; Vipera berus is venomous and feeds more on rodents.
Grass snake
Grass snake Natrix natrix Both use the same habitats—woodland edges, meadows, and hedgerows—are active by day and at dusk, and spend much time hidden. Smooth snakes eat mostly reptiles (small lizards and slow worms), while grass snakes eat mainly amphibians near water.
Slow worm
Slow worm Anguis fragilis Often occurs in the same habitats with abundant shelter (heathland, rough grass, woodland edge); uses the same cover (stones, dead wood, vegetation) and warm microhabitats, and is a common prey of the smooth snake.

The female smooth snake gives birth to live young instead of eggs.

The smooth snake is among the most common species of continental Europe, but because they like to hide, they’re somewhat secretive and difficult to find. As a non-venomous snake, they are considered to be mostly harmless to humans, but they can deliver a painful bite if you’re not careful. This species should not be confused with the smooth green snake, which is an entirely separate species. The only thing similar about them is their name.

4 Smooth Snake Amazing Facts

  • The mating season of the smooth snake usually takes place in the spring. The females incubate their eggs internally and give birth to live young in September. Anywhere between four and 15 snakes are born at a time.
  • Smooth snakes may hibernate within deep burrows or dens of the earth during the cold winter months. From the spring to the fall, they come out during the day and bask in the sunlight to stay warm.
  • The camouflage of the smooth snake helps it blend in with the earth and avoid predators. Pheasants, crows, red foxes, badgers, weasels, and birds of prey all pose a danger to this snake.
  • The smooth snake senses odors in the air with an organ located on the roof of the mouth. When the snake flicks out its tongue, it is picking up scent molecules from the air.

Where to Find Smooth Snakes

The smooth snake can be found in grasslands, shrublands, mixed woodlands, and rocky areas throughout most of mainland Europe and parts of Western Asia. They live as far north as the Baltic region and as far east as the Caspian Sea. This is one of three native snake species in the UK (United Kingdom), where it has become increasingly endangered. They spend a lot of time hiding under rocks, holes, vegetation, and leaf litter, only venturing out to hunt and bask in the sun.

Scientific Name

The scientific name of the smooth snake is Coronella austriaca. Coronella is a Latin word meaning small crown; this is a reference to the black crown-like pattern on the head of the snake. Austriaca refers to the country of Austria (although their actual range is much larger). They are closely related to the southern smooth snake in the same genus.

Population & Conservation Status

According to the IUCN Red List, the smooth snake is a species of least concern. Population numbers are unknown, but they appear to be decreasing in some parts of their range. Habitat loss is thought to be the main culprit for their decline.

Appearance & Description

The smooth snake has a relatively short but stout body that reaches about 2 feet long on average, but they have been known to grow up to 3 feet in size as well. They can be identified by the brown, gray, or red skin color with two rows of small, irregularly shaped dark blotches running down the entire length of the body. In many specimens, these rows become fused around the head, forming what looks like a crown. Another thick dark stripe extends from the nostril to the neck area on each side of the head. Their skin is said to be smooth and flat to the touch.

Here is how to identify the smooth snake:

  • Short but stout body measuring up to 3 feet in size
  • Smooth skin
  • Light brown, gray, or red skin color
  • Two rows of dark shapes running along the back, sometimes forming the shape of a crown on the head
  • Dark stripes extending from the nostrils to the neck
A smooth snake with its head raised flicking its tongue

The smooth snake locates prey through its excellent sense of smell.

©iStock.com/Tom Haley

How Dangerous Are They?

The smooth snake does not have the ability to produce any venom. Although they can deliver a somewhat painful bite, they are considered to be fairly harmless to humans overall. If you do happen to be bitten by one, then you should wash the wound out with soap and water to prevent an infection. Medical care is rarely necessary unless the wound fails to heal properly.

Smooth Snake Behavior and Humans

The smooth snake is not very aggressive toward people at all. They would much rather run away and hide under vegetation or a rock than stand their ground and fight. Their main means of defense if a person or predator gets too close is to secrete a foul-smelling substance from the anal gland that can trigger nausea and sickness. This can make them very difficult to handle. The smooth snake is not easy to find and rarely sold as a pet even by specialty reptile stores. Some people may confuse this with smooth green snakes, which make much better pets and are generally easier to care for and handle. However, the smooth green snake is not closely related at all; in fact, it’s a native of North America rather than Europe.

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Sources

  1. Discover Wildlife / Accessed May 2, 2022
  2. Wildlife Trusts / Accessed May 2, 2022
A-Z Animals Staff

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