Copperhead vs Hognose Snake

The quick tellA hognose has an upturned snout and round pupils and often flattens its neck. A copperhead has hourglass bands and vertical pupils.

Photo: Peter Paplanus, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Copperhead

Medically significant · Agkistrodon contortrix

Copper to tan body with dark hourglass bands: wide on the sides, narrow on the spine
Plain coppery head with no pattern
Young snakes have a bright yellow-green tail tip
Cat-like vertical pupils and a pit between eye and nostril

Size: 24–36 in. Habitat: Wooded hillsides, rocky ridges, wood piles and suburban yards in the East and South.

The venomous snake behind most bites in the eastern US. Bites are painful and need medical care, but deaths are extremely rare.

Photo: Sam Kieschnick, CC BY 4.0, via iNaturalist

Eastern hognose snake

Harmless · Heterodon platirhinos

Upturned snout
Flattens its neck like a cobra and hisses when scared
Plays dead, rolls over and lets its tongue hang out
Round pupils

Size: 20–33 in. Habitat: Sandy fields, woods and coastal areas of the East and Midwest.

Considered harmless to people. Its bluff display is why it gets mistaken for a viper.

Where each one lives

Copperhead only
Eastern hognose snake only
Both
Neither

Copperhead: 28 states. Eastern hognose snake: 31 states. Both live in 27 states.

Side by side

	Copperhead	Eastern hognose snake
Danger	Medically significant	Harmless
Size	24–36 in	20–33 in
States	28	31
Habitat	Wooded hillsides, rocky ridges, wood piles and suburban yards in the East and South	Sandy fields, woods and coastal areas of the East and Midwest

Questions

How can you tell a copperhead from a eastern hognose snake?

A hognose has an upturned snout and round pupils and often flattens its neck. A copperhead has hourglass bands and vertical pupils.

Which one is dangerous?

The copperhead: medically significant. The eastern hognose snake: harmless. If you are not sure, keep your distance and do not handle it.

Where do both live?

Both live in 27 states: Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia.