Copperhead

Quick Identification

• Tan/copper color
• Hershey’s kisses pattern (viewing from side)
• Hourglass pattern (viewing from top)
• Thin dark line through eye

The average length is 2 to 3 feet. The ground color is light gray or beige with darker brown hourglass-shaped crossbands, often with a pinkish or orange wash. The distinctive crossbands are often incomplete or broken at mid-body. A thin dark line runs back from the eye to the corner of the mouth. Newborn copperheads have bright sulfur-yellow tails. Contrary to the popular name, copperheads in the South only rarely have copper-red heads.

Easily one of our most common snakes, copperheads are found everywhere except on the immediate Gulf Coast and the barrier islands. Favored habitat is hardwood forest but pine country, old fields, and bottomlands are frequented. Copperheads even inhabit outlying subdivisions, often being discovered in gardens or carports. Most commonly they are observed crossing rural roads at night, or as they are uncovered in woodpiles or trash heaps. Their near-perfect camouflage renders them virtually invisible under most natural situations.

Copperheads feed on rodents, small birds, lizards, frogs, and insects (especially cicadas). Babies of both the copperhead and its close relative the cottonmouth wriggle the bright yellow tail as an enticing lure for frogs and lizards. With age, the yellow disappears and is replaced with black.

Copperheads go by several other common names in Mississippi including “highland moccasin” and “rattlesnake pilot.” Often greatly feared by residents, copperheads generally tend to freeze in place (hoping to go unnoticed) or flee at the approach of a human. Bites occur when the snake is accidentally touched or stepped upon, or when the person is trying to kill it.