Head to head
Broad-headed Snake vs Tiger Snake
Broad-headed Snake
VS Tiger Snake
The broad-headed snake and tiger snake are two venomous Australian snakes of the southeast that both give birth to live young, but one is rare and the other widespread.
| Broad-headed Snake | Tiger Snake | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Hoplocephalus bungaroides | Notechis scutatus |
| Pattern | A glossy black body with irregular yellow bands and a broad, distinct head, usually under a metre long | Often pale bands across a darker body, though some are plain olive, brown, or black |
| Diet | Geckos, other small lizards, and small mammals, ambushed from a hiding place | Frogs, lizards, small mammals, birds, and fish, often hunted near water |
| Shelter and habitat | Sandstone ridges and plateaus, sheltering under sun-warmed rock slabs in winter and in tree hollows in summer | Swamps, creeks, rivers, farm dams, and coastal grassland |
| Range | Only within about 200 km of Sydney, in New South Wales | Southern and southeastern Australia, including Tasmania |
| Venom | Venomous, though shy, and any bite needs urgent medical attention | A potent venom that affects the nerves, muscles, and blood clotting, and bites need urgent medical treatment |
| Threats | Declining because loose sandstone slabs have been taken for gardens, and because of habitat loss | Some local populations have declined as wetlands have been drained |
| Conservation status | Vulnerable, and decreasing | Least Concern, with a stable population |
Broad-headed Snake vs Tiger Snake: common questions
Why is the broad-headed snake rare?
It lives only on sandstone ridges around Sydney, and has declined because of habitat loss and the removal of loose sandstone slabs.
Do both give birth to live young?
Yes, both the broad-headed snake and the tiger snake give birth to live young rather than laying eggs.
Which one shelters in trees in summer?
The broad-headed snake, which moves from rock slabs into tree hollows in summer to stay cool.