Copperhead vs Cottonmouth
Copperhead or cottonmouth - and does it matter?
The quick tell
Both are venomous pit vipers, so treat either with respect. The quickest separation is where you are and what it does. A Copperhead is a slender, pinkish-tan snake of dry woodland and leaf litter. A Cottonmouth is a thick, dark, olive-to-black snake of swamps and water edges that, when cornered, throws its head back and gapes a cotton-white mouth.
Field marks, side by side
| Copperhead | Cottonmouth | |
|---|---|---|
| Color | Pinkish tan with crisp chestnut hourglass bands | Dark olive to near-black; banding fades with age |
| Build | Slender, usually 2-3 ft | Thick and heavy-bodied, 2-4 ft |
| Habitat | Dry: woods, rocky hillsides, leaf litter | Wet: swamps, marshes, slow water edges of the Southeast |
| Defense | Freezes and relies on camouflage | Stands its ground and gapes a white mouth |
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
Is a cottonmouth more dangerous than a copperhead?
A cottonmouth carries more venom and can deliver a more serious bite, but both are venomous and both bites need immediate medical care. The copperhead is responsible for more bites overall simply because it is more widespread and better camouflaged underfoot.
Can you tell them apart by the mouth?
A cornered cottonmouth often gapes to show the white lining of its mouth, which is where the name comes from, and copperheads do not routinely do this. But do not get close enough to rely on it. Habitat and body build settle most cases from a safe distance.