Northern Cottonmouth
Agkistrodon piscivorus • Order: Squamata, Suborder: Serpentes, Family: Viperidae, Subfamily: Crotalinae, Genus: Agkistrodon, Species: A. piscivorus
Found across the Southeastern United States, from southeastern Virginia south through Florida and west to eastern Texas and Oklahoma, extending north along the Mississippi River valley to southern Illinois.
Look up Northern Cottonmouth in the Snake Encyclopedia →Venomous Status
Venomous; Solenoglyphous (possesses long, retractable fangs at the front of the upper jaw).
Danger Level
High Risk; while rarely fatal with modern medical treatment, they are medically significant. Bites cause extreme pain, permanent tissue damage, and potential loss of digits or limbs if not treated quickly.
Family
Order: Squamata, Suborder: Serpentes, Family: Viperidae, Subfamily: Crotalinae, Genus: Agkistrodon, Species: A. piscivorus
Conservation
Least Concern (IUCN); however, they face threats from habitat loss and widespread persecution due to fear and misinformation.
Physical Description
Heavy-bodied with a broad, spade-shaped head. Coloration is olive, brown, or black with dark crossbands that often fade with age. A dark stripe usually runs from the eye to the corner of the mouth. Juveniles (like this specimen) have high-contrast patterns and a bright sulfur-yellow or chartreuse tail tip.
Size & Dimensions
This specimen appears to be a juvenile, approximately 12-18 inches in length. Adults typically range from 30 to 48 inches, with record lengths exceeding 70 inches.
Habitat
Semiaquatic generalists found in swamps, marshes, slow-moving streams, and drainage ditches. They are often found near water but frequently bask on logs or, as seen here, climb into low vegetation or structures near water.
Behavior & Temperament
Known for a defensive display of opening the mouth to reveal a white lining (the 'cotton' mouth). They are generally misunderstood as aggressive but are actually quite stoic; they will stand their ground or gape rather than flee immediately. Most bites occur when the snake is stepped on or harassed.
Diet & Feeding
Opportunistic carnivores that eat fish, frogs, turtles, birds, small mammals, and other snakes. They utilize both ambush and active foraging strategies, using venom to subduing prey.
Reproduction
Ovoviviparous (giving birth to live young). Breeding season is typically spring; females give birth to 1–20 young in late summer or fall. Females reproduce every second or third year.
Venom Profile
Primarily hemotoxic and cytotoxic, containing enzymes that break down proteins, causing tissue destruction, severe swelling, and hemorrhaging.
Look-alikes
Commonly confused with harmless Nerodia (water snakes). Cottonmouths have vertical pupils and heat-sensing pits, whereas water snakes have round pupils and lack pits. The juvenile's yellow tail is a key identifier shared only with Copperheads.
Conservation Status
Least Concern (IUCN); however, they face threats from habitat loss and widespread persecution due to fear and misinformation.
Cultural Significance
A staple of Southern folklore often unfairly characterized as 'aggressive'. Ecologically, they are vital apex predators in wetland ecosystems, controlling populations of rodents and other snakes.
Notable Features
This juvenile specimen's bright yellow tail tip is used for 'caudal luring,' where the snake wiggles the tail to mimic a worm or caterpillar to attract prey like frogs or lizards.