Copperhead
Agkistrodon contortrix • Order: Squamata, Suborder: Serpentes, Family: Viperidae, Subfamily: Crotalinae, Genus: Agkistrodon, Species: A. contortrix
Widely distributed throughout the eastern and central United States, ranging from Massachusetts down to northern Florida, and westward to eastern Texas and Nebraska.
Look up Copperhead in the Snake Encyclopedia →Family
Order: Squamata, Suborder: Serpentes, Family: Viperidae, Subfamily: Crotalinae, Genus: Agkistrodon, Species: A. contortrix
Conservation
Evaluated as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List due to its wide distribution, tolerance of habitat modification, and generally stable populations.
Physical Description
Features distinctive hourglass- or dumbbell-shaped crossbands that are lighter in the middle and darker on the edges, ranging in color from tan and pinkish-brown to rich copper-brown. The head is distinctively wide and triangular, typically uniform coppery-red without complex patterning, sitting on a relatively slender neck.
Size & Dimensions
The visible specimen is likely an adult or sub-adult around 60 to 90 cm in length. Adults typically range from 50 to 105 cm total length, with maximum recorded lengths approaching 135 cm.
Habitat
Found in a variety of habitats including deciduous forests, mixed woodlands, rocky hillsides, wetland edges, and suburban areas near wooded patches. They utilize cover objects like logs, rocks, and leaf litter.
Diet & Feeding
Primarily carnivorous, feeding on small rodents, lizards, small birds, frogs, and large insects such as cicadas. They are primarily ambush predators that wait motionlessly for passing prey.
Reproduction
Viviparous, giving live birth to litters typically ranging from 1 to 21 young (average 4 to 7). Mating generally occurs in the late summer or autumn, with young born in late summer of the following year.
Conservation Status
Evaluated as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List due to its wide distribution, tolerance of habitat modification, and generally stable populations.
Cultural Significance
Plays an important role in controlling small mammal populations within its ecosystem. Like many North American serpents, it often features in local folklore and rural history.
Notable Features
Known for its unique copper-colored head and distinctive hourglass-shaped lateral banding, as well as its tendency to remain motionless or freeze when approached rather than fleeing immediately.