Copperheads are venomous snakes found throughout the eastern and central United States. They have distinct rusty brown coloring with darker brown hourglass-shaped crossbands down the length of their bodies. This unique pattern makes the copperhead relatively easy to identify.
However, there are many harmless species that are frequently mistaken for copperheads due to similar appearances. Learning to properly identify copperheads and their lookalikes can help prevent unnecessary fear or harm to harmless snakes.
Why Identification Matters
Being able to accurately identify a venomous snake like the copperhead is important for safety However, mistaking a harmless species for a dangerous one often leads people to kill the snake unnecessarily This is devastating to local ecosystems since snakes play vital roles as both predators and prey.
Educating yourself on snake identification and behavior is the best way to coexist safely with these reptiles, Get familiar with the most common lookalike species in your area so you can recognize them Always admiring snakes from a distance is the safest approach when you encounter one whose identity is unclear
How To Identify A Copperhead
Copperheads have several distinctive features that set them apart from other species
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Hourglass pattern – Wide patterned bands at the sides of the body narrow towards the backbone. The shape resembles an hourglass.
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Color – Light brown, tan, gold, or rusty shades of brown. The patterned bands are slightly darker brown.
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Head shape – Triangular head that is notably wider at the back and connects to a thinner neck.
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Eyes – Vertical slit-shaped pupils and yellow irises.
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Young snakes – Bright greenish-yellow tail tips that function as a lure for prey.
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Range – Found throughout the eastern and central United States. Very common in the Southeast.
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Habitat – Often found near water sources like ponds and streams. Also present in wooded areas and rocky hillsides.
13 Common Copperhead Lookalikes
There are many harmless species that are frequently mistaken for copperheads across the U.S. Here are the most common:
1. Cottonmouth
Also called water moccasins, cottonmouths are venomous like copperheads. They have a similar body shape and coloration but are significantly darker. The pattern has less defined shapes. Cottonmouths also have a distinctive white inner mouth they display when threatened.
2. Corn Snake
Corn snakes exhibit similar red-brown hues to copperheads but lack any hourglass pattern. The speckled blotches are more irregular without defined shapes. They have long, thin bodies and spear-shaped heads.
3. Northern Water Snake
Northern water snakes have variable gray or brown coloration with bands that are wider at the top of the back and narrower on the sides. They have a flatter head and spend most of their time in or near water.
4. Eastern Hognose Snake
In defense displays, hognose snakes flatten their necks and assume a cobra-like posture. But they are harmless to humans. Their coloration is extremely variable but they can be distinguished by their upturned snout.
5. Eastern Milk Snake
The milk snake’s vivid pattern has distinct reddish-brown blotches shaped like saddles and outlined in black. Their scales are smooth and shiny compared to the keeled scales of copperheads.
6. Eastern Rat Snake
Rat snakes are much longer than copperheads, averaging 3-6 feet in length. Young individuals have brown or gray blotches on a lighter background which fade as they mature. They have no hourglass pattern.
7. Northern Mole Kingsnake
Mole kingsnakes have irregular brown blotches on a lighter background. Their patterns fade almost completely as they mature, leaving them a solid brown. They have narrower heads and smaller eyes than copperheads.
8. Banded Water Snake
Found near water, these heavy-bodied snakes have bands that fully wrap around the body. Their scales are smooth and shiny behind the head. They lack triangular heads and vertical pupils.
9. Western Rat Snake
Also called black rat snakes, these primarily black snakes have lighter chins and throats. Only young snakes have any noticeable patterns. They lack heat pits between the eyes and nostrils.
10. Diamondback Water Snake
True to their name, these snakes have a diamond pattern rather than hourglasses down the back. They are generally lighter in color with more vivid banding that fades with age.
11. Eastern Racer
Racers are solid black as adults but juveniles have faint brown blotches on the back and sides. These blotches do not extend to the lower sides like copperhead bands.
12. Brown Water Snake
This heavy-bodied, aquatic snake has dark square blotches on its back and alternating smaller side blotches. The head is also darker than copperheads.
13. Broad-Banded Water Snake
The broad bands on this water snake completely wrap around the body and connect on the belly. Blotch-like markings are also present on the neck and head.
What To Do If You See A Snake
If you encounter a snake but cannot clearly identify it, the best approach is to quietly back away and allow the snake to retreat undisturbed. Never attempt to capture or harass the snake. If the snake is located near your home, contact wildlife authorities to have it safely removed and relocated.
Learning how to identify copperheads from similar-looking harmless species can allow you to co-exist peacefully. Spreading awareness about snake conservation and identification helps protect biodiversity and prevent unnecessary snake deaths. Always admire wild snakes from a distance since they play vital roles in their ecosystems. With proper education and caution, we can keep snake encounters safe.
Ways to Identify the Copperhead
There are several ways to identify a copperhead. Once you are familiar with these key characteristics, you’ll be able to successfully distinguish between the copperhead and other venomous and nonvenomous snakes in the area.
The copperhead gets its name from the coppery-tan color found mainly on its head and throughout parts of its body down to the tail.
Since the copperhead is a pit viper, you’ll notice a very distinctive triangular-shaped head. Some people call it an “arrowhead-shaped” head. These wider parts of the head allow for space to fit the snake’s fangs and venom glands.
The pit vipers that live in South Carolina all have heavy, stocky bodies with pronounced heads. Nonvenomous snakes in our area tend to have long, slender bodies that align with their head. An adult copperhead’s average length ranges between 2 to 3 feet but can reach 4 feet.
The body color of a copperhead is typically a pale tan to brown color with an almost light pink tint to it. They have a darker brown crossband pattern down the length of their body that resembles an hourglass shape. Copperheads are the only species of snake with this pattern. The hourglass shape lays somewhat “sideways” on the copperhead’s back; the wider portion of the shape starts on one side of the body, thins towards the spine, and then widens back out to the opposite side of the snake. Keep in mind that the hourglass shapes can occasionally “mismatch” and seem like they disconnect from the complete shape.
Copperheads are not aggressive, nor do they go out of their way to bite humans or other unsuspecting bystanders. It all comes down to their camouflage. When curled up, their camouflage resembles a pile of fallen leaves; this helps them remain hidden from potential predators – including you. A copperhead bite typically occurs when it’s least expected, after several attempts to discourage you, the “predator,” from coming close. When walking through potential copperhead habitat, the snake will likely spot you first and may try to move away. As you get closer, it will curl up into its camouflage pile, blending in with fallen leaf litter on the ground. As you get closer, the copperhead will start to shake, or “rattle,” its tail to resemble a rattlesnake. Get even closer, and the copperhead will lift its head to show you it’s ready to bite if you keep provoking. The last and final step is a strike. Even though you may have never noticed any of the prior warnings, all the snake knows is that he gave you all warnings to stay away and that you persisted. Even with these warning signs, they rarely strike unless stepped on or handled. The bite is a last resort to defend itself from an animal much larger than itself, which it certainly doesn’t see as a potential meal.
Eye pupil shape is a very easy way of identifying not only copperheads but also most venomous snakes in South Carolina, except for the coral snake. The copperhead has a yellow eye with a black vertical and elliptical pupil, similar to that of a cat’s eye. Please be advised that this does require great eyesight and an excellent viewpoint. However, don’t try to get too close to the snake to see this feature, as you might put yourself in danger and ultimately provoke a strike from the snake. The venomous coral snake and all other non-venomous South Carolina snakes have round pupils.
Juvenile copperheads are known for having bright yellow tails that they use to lure their prey, such as frogs and small lizards. Be careful when you come across a yellow-tailed juvenile copperhead, and please do not approach. From birth, they already have functional venom glands and are venomous.
Ways to Differentiate Similar Species from Copperheads
The corn snake is one of several North American species of rat snake. Unlike copperheads, corn snakes do not have fangs but catch and subdue their prey by constriction (squeezing and suffocating).
Corn snakes are more colorful than copperheads – they have several color variants but are typically redder in color than the copperhead’s copper-tan complexion.
While copperheads have most of their hourglass shape on the sides of their body, corn snakes will have most of their thick “blotch” or square-shaped markings on the tops (or in the center of their back) of their body. These blotches are the widest down the center of the back. Corn snakes also have a distinctive black-and-white “checkerboard” pattern on their bellies.
Corn snakes have a smaller, narrower head that aligns with their slender body angle and size, different from the copperhead’s triangular head and thicker body width. It’s also important to note the corn snake’s round pupil, which is a common characteristic of our nonvenomous snakes.
Rat snakes are very common throughout South Carolina. Rat snakes are great climbers and are known for their ability to climb trees or even walls. Black rat snakes tend to be found in the Upstate and Midlands regions. Yellow rat snakes are green or yellow in color and have stripes down the entire length of their bodies. Yellow rat snakes are found in more coastal regions of our state. The juveniles of both subspecies are often mistaken for copperheads due to the blotchy square-shaped patterns on their backs that they use for camouflage. Like the corn snake, this pattern is found along the center of the back down the length of their bodies. They also have large circular pupils.
The northern water snake is a large, nonvenomous common snake native to North America.
The pattern of the northern water snake is dark blotches that are narrow on the sides and wider towards the backbone. This differs from the copperhead’s pattern, which is wider on the sides and narrower towards the backbone.
Unlike copperheads, northern water snakes have round pupils, which, as stated previously, is a common characteristic of nonvenomous snakes. The northern water snake also has a narrower head compared to the copperhead’s “arrow-shaped” head since it lacks venom glands and fangs.
Copperhead VS. Cottonmouth // Just how different are they really??? // And what is a Cottonhead???
FAQ
What snake can be mistaken for a copperhead?
Oftentimes, people think they have come across a copperhead; however, often it is a non-venomous species that falls victim to mistaken identity. Some common non-venomous snake species that are mistaken for the copperhead are the corn snake, juvenile rat snake, and the northern water snake.
How do you tell the difference between a baby copperhead and a baby rat snake?
A: One of the big differences is that copperheads are venomous, whereas black rat snakes are non-venomous. Black rat snakes are black, whereas copperheads have a brown and tan color to them. They also have hourglass patterns on their backs, one where you can tell a difference.
How to tell the difference between a copperhead and a banded water snake?
The North Georgia water snakes that we most often come across are the Banded and Northern. Both have bands that are widest on the top and look borderline symmetrical while the Copperhead’s pattern and band is narrowest on top and looks more like an hourglass.