Copperhead vs Common Watersnake
Hourglasses or saddles - which snake is at the creek?
The quick tell
Both are banded and brownish, but the bands run opposite ways. Copperhead bands are narrow over the spine and wide on the sides (hourglasses). Common Watersnake bands are wide over the spine and narrow on the sides (saddles). A banded snake actively hunting in the water is nearly always the watersnake.
Field marks, side by side
| Copperhead | Common Watersnake | |
|---|---|---|
| Bands | Narrow on top, wide on the sides - hourglass shapes | Wide on top, narrow on the sides - saddle shapes |
| Color | Pinkish tan with chestnut bands; pattern stays crisp for life | Gray-brown; darkens with age until bands almost disappear |
| Head | Coppery and triangular, plain | Slimmer; often a dark bar behind the eye |
| Where | Dry ground: leaf litter, rock piles, wood edges | In or beside water - banks, snags, and shorelines |
Still not sure which one you found?
Point Huck at it. One photo identifies it on the spot - and adds it to your collection.
Get Huck - freeCommon questions
Was the banded snake swimming in my pond a Copperhead?
Probably not. Copperheads can swim but rarely hunt in water. A banded brown snake cruising a pond edge or basking on a snag is almost always a Common Watersnake - check for bands that are widest over the spine, the reverse of a Copperhead.
Are Common Watersnakes venomous?
No. They are pugnacious and will strike and release musk if grabbed, but they have no venom. They are one of the most frequently misidentified - and needlessly killed - snakes in North America.