Coral Snake vs King Snake: 9 Key Differences Explained!

How to Tell Coral Snakes and King Snakes Apart

Knowing the difference between a Coral Snake and a King Snake could literally save your life. Coral Snakes are dangerously venomous, while King Snakes are completely harmless. The problem is that they look remarkably similar at first glance. Both have bands of red, black, and yellow (or white). Both are found in overlapping ranges across the southeastern United States. Here are the key differences that will help you tell them apart.

The Color Band Order

This is the most well known difference and the one most people learn first. On a Coral Snake, red bands touch yellow bands. On a King Snake, red bands touch black bands. The old rhyme “Red touches yellow, kill a fellow; red touches black, friend of Jack” describes this pattern. While this rhyme works for North American species, it does not apply to Coral Snakes found in Central and South America, which can have very different color patterns.

On a Coral Snake, the pattern goes: red, yellow, black, yellow, red. On a Scarlet King Snake (the most common look alike), the pattern goes: red, black, yellow, black, red. Pay attention to which color sits next to the red bands, and you have the most reliable visual cue.

Head Shape

Coral Snakes have small, rounded heads that are barely wider than their body. Their head blends smoothly into the neck with no obvious distinction. King Snakes have slightly broader heads, though they are not as dramatically triangular as pit vipers like copperheads. The Coral Snake’s smooth, rounded head is a good identification feature when combined with the color pattern.

Nose Color

Coral Snakes have a black snout (the area from the eyes to the tip of the nose is black). Scarlet King Snakes have a red snout. This is a quick and reliable way to tell them apart if you can see the head clearly. Black nose equals Coral Snake. Red nose equals King Snake.

Band Pattern

Coral Snake bands go completely around the body, meaning the belly has the same colored bands as the back. King Snake bands typically do not extend fully around the belly, or the belly markings are different from the back. If you can safely see the underside of the snake (without picking it up), this is a helpful identification feature.

Eye Shape

Coral Snakes have round pupils, like most non venomous snakes. This is unusual because most venomous snakes in North America (pit vipers) have vertical slit pupils. The Coral Snake is the exception since it belongs to the elapid family (related to cobras) rather than the pit viper family. King Snakes also have round pupils, so this feature helps distinguish Coral Snakes from pit vipers but not from King Snakes specifically.

Size

Coral Snakes are typically smaller and more slender than King Snakes. Eastern Coral Snakes usually reach 2 to 3 feet in length with thin, pencil like bodies. Scarlet King Snakes are similar in size (1.5 to 2.5 feet), but other King Snake species can grow considerably larger. The Eastern King Snake can reach 4 to 6 feet.

Behavior

Coral Snakes are secretive, shy snakes that spend most of their time hiding under logs, leaf litter, and debris. They are rarely seen in the open and almost never act aggressively toward humans. When threatened, they may bury their head in their coils and raise their tail, waving it around to mimic a head. King Snakes are bolder and more commonly seen. They are active hunters that move around more freely and may vibrate their tail when threatened, mimicking a rattlesnake.

Venom

This is obviously the most important difference. Coral Snakes have potent neurotoxic venom that attacks the nervous system and can cause respiratory failure. Bites require immediate medical attention and Coral Snake specific antivenom. King Snakes are nonvenomous constrictors that are completely harmless to humans. In fact, King Snakes are famous for eating other snakes, including venomous species. They have natural immunity to pit viper venom.

The Bottom Line

If you encounter a banded red, yellow, and black snake and are not 100 percent certain of the identification, leave it alone. Admire it from a distance and let it go on its way. Coral Snake bites are rare because the snakes are reclusive and reluctant to bite, but they are serious when they happen. When in doubt, the safest approach is to treat any banded snake you cannot positively identify as potentially dangerous and give it plenty of space.