State herp calendar
Reptiles and Amphibians of New York
New York runs from Long Island beaches to Adirondack forest. American Toads and Common Garter Snakes are the most-reported herps. Salamanders are the biggest group, with Eastern Newts and Eastern Red-backed Salamanders leading. May is the busiest month. The Timber Rattlesnake and Eastern Copperhead live here.
46 species5 ecoregions2 venomous
Search entire stateSpecies out across New York, by group and month
| Group | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Snakes | 2 | 7 | 11 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 11 | 6 | 1 | |
| Lizards | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| Turtles | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 1 |
| Frogs and Toads | 4 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 4 | ||
| Salamanders | 8 | 12 | 14 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 2 |
Numbers = species active that month (at peak or just starting / winding down).
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Hi, I'm Nick. I built Herp Calendar on my own and I keep it free, with no ads. If it has helped you find a herp this season, a small tip goes straight into the hosting and the data work. Only if you can spare it. Either way, I'm glad you're here.
Pick your ecoregion
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Tap a region to see what's out
Ecoregions of New York
Seasons shift a lot between New York's ecoregions. Pick the one nearest you for a 12-month calendar of what's out.
Great Lakes and Hudson Lowlands
28 speciesLowland woods and wetlands with red-backed salamanders, newts and spring peepers.
View calendar →New England Highlands
25 speciesNorthern hardwood hills where newts, wood frogs and salamanders wake with the thaw.
View calendar →New England Coast and Pine Barrens
33 speciesCoastal woods, pine barrens and ponds with painted turtles and spring frogs.
View calendar →Northern and Central Appalachians
40 speciesPlateau forest and streams with newts, red-backed salamanders and ratsnakes.
View calendar →Central Appalachians
54 speciesForested ridges and hollows full of salamanders, with ratsnakes on the rocks.
View calendar →Venomous here: Eastern Copperhead, Timber Rattlesnake. Don't handle any snake you can't identify.
About New York
When are reptiles and amphibians most active in New York?
May is the busiest month in New York, with 37 species at peak activity. At least half of the area's species are active from March through October.
What reptiles and amphibians live in New York?
46 species have enough iNaturalist records to show here: 15 salamanders, 13 snakes, 10 frogs and toads, 6 turtles, and 2 lizards. The most-reported are the American Toad, Common Garter Snake, and Eastern Newt.
Are there venomous snakes in New York?
Yes. The Timber Rattlesnake and Eastern Copperhead live here. Don't handle them.
Which reptiles and amphibians in New York are introduced?
The Pond Slider and Italian Wall Lizard are not native here.
Where does this data come from?
Activity calendars are built from iNaturalist research-grade observations (downloaded through GBIF, September 2026), corrected for how many people are out observing each month. Rare and protected species are left off on purpose.