Eastern Copperhead
Agkistrodon contortrix • Order: Squamata, Suborder: Serpentes, Family: Viperidae, Subfamily: Crotalinae, Genus: Agkistrodon, Species: Agkistrodon contortrix
Eastern and central United States, ranging from southern New England south to northern Florida, and west to East Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas.
Look up Eastern Copperhead in the Snake Encyclopedia →Family
Order: Squamata, Suborder: Serpentes, Family: Viperidae, Subfamily: Crotalinae, Genus: Agkistrodon, Species: Agkistrodon contortrix
Conservation
Least Concern (IUCN Red List). Main threats include habitat fragmentation, road mortality, and intentional persecution.
Physical Description
Distinctive hourglass or Hershey's Kiss-shaped crossbands that are narrow along the spine and wide along the flanks. Coloration consists of copper, tan, or pinkish-brown background hues with darker brown bands, often containing small spots within the lateral patches. The head is broad, triangular, and unpatterned copper-orange on top, with vertical pupils and heat-sensing loreal pits between the eyes and nostrils. Body scales are strongly keeled.
Size & Dimensions
The visible specimen appears to be an adult, approximately 24 to 30 inches (60 to 76 cm) in total length. Typical adult size ranges from 20 to 37 inches (50 to 95 cm), with maximum recorded lengths reaching up to 53 inches (135 cm).
Habitat
Deciduous forests, mixed woodlands, rocky hillsides, swamp borders, and agricultural areas. Often utilizes leaf litter, fallen logs, rock piles, and wood heaps for cover.
Diet & Feeding
Diet includes small mammals (voles, mice), cicadas, caterpillars, lizards, amphibians, and occasionally small birds. Employs an ambush hunting strategy utilizing camouflage among leaf litter to surprise prey.
Reproduction
Viviparous (gives live birth). Females typically give birth to 4 to 12 young in late summer or early autumn. Juveniles possess a bright sulfur-yellow tail tip used for caudal luring to attract small prey.
Look-alikes
Northern Watersnake (Nerodia sipedon), Eastern Hognose Snake (Heterodon platirhinos), and Milk Snake (Lampropeltis triangulum). Distinct from watersnakes by the hourglass-shaped markings (watersnakes have bands that widen along the spine rather than narrowing) and keeled scales.
Conservation Status
Least Concern (IUCN Red List). Main threats include habitat fragmentation, road mortality, and intentional persecution.
Cultural Significance
Plays a critical ecological role as a mesopredator, controlling rodent and pest populations in forest ecosystems. Frequently featured in regional North American field guides and natural history lore.
Notable Features
Exhibits exceptional crypsis (camouflage) among fallen oak and pine leaves. Features heat-sensing pit organs (loreal pits) on each side of the head used to detect thermal radiation from prey.