Bullsnake

Habitat:

Bullsnakes prefer open landscapes like grasslands and prairies, with loose, sandy soils to burrow in. They can also be found in disturbed agricultural land and abandoned fields or empty lots.

Behavior:

While primarily diurnal, bullsnakes may adopt a nocturnal or crepuscular lifestyle during especially hot spells. As a nonvenomous species, they rely on intimidation to scare off would-be-predators; cornered bullsnakes will coil, hiss, and vibrate their tail, presumably in an attempt to mimic the warning display of rattlesnakes. Bullsnakes are constrictors, and kill their prey via suffocation and restriction of blood flow. During the winter, bullsnakes hibernate deep underground in rodent burrows to avoid the cold - unlike some snakes, they hibernate solitarily.

Diet:

Sometimes called a gopher snake, small mammals - especially ground squirrels - make up a large portion of the bullsnake's diet. Ground-nesting birds and their eggs may also fall prey to these snakes, as well as other reptiles, amphibians, and even insects. As predators of species commonly seen as pests, bullsnakes are considered beneficial to humans.

Reproduction:

Bullsnakes mate in the spring, and the female lays a clutch of 10-20 eggs in abandoned animal burrows. The eggs hatch in late summer, and young are able to fend for themselves immediately after hatching.

Associated Species:

Prairie dogs are important prey for bullsnakes, and their abandoned burrows are often utilized by snakes as hibernation and egg-laying sites. Bullsnakes may be mistaken for, and intentionally mimic the mannerisms of, rattlesnakes. Red-tailed hawks will predate upon bullsnakes, especially young individuals who are too small to effectively defend themselves.

Sources: https://mnzoo.org/blog/animals/bullsnake/, https://inherpatlas.org/species/pituophis_catenifer, https://mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/bullsnake, https://tpwd.texas.gov/huntwild/wild/species/bullsnake/