Active during the night and day, the Chinese Cobra is one of the more common venomous snakes in Hong Kong. These pictures show two individuals that I found during the same day walk. This snake below shows a very different colour and hood pattern to the "typical" cobra.
What is interesting is how they can be so different in colour sometimes, as these photos show. Generally they are black/brown in colour - like the typical one below - but can on some occasions these lovely snakes can be grey or even gold. There is normally a faint vertical banding from midsection through the tail, and when not displaying its hood the Chinese Cobra can easily be mistaken for a rat snake at a quick glance. A key observation is the appearance of a white or light gray ring on the neck just behind the head, which, when the cobra rises up and displays its hood transforms into a monocle like pattern.
below the more normal black colouration.
For more information and video links see www.hongkongsnakeid.com