Eastern Copperhead
Agkistrodon contortrix
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Cordats)
- ClassSquamata
- FamilyViperidae (Vipèrids)
- GenusAgkistrodon (Copperheads, Cottonmouths, and Cantils)
- SpeciesAgkistrodon contortrix (Eastern Copperhead)
The eastern copperhead (Agkistrodon contortrix), also known simply as the copperhead, is a widespread species of venomous snake, a pit viper, endemic to eastern United States of America; it is a member of the subfamily Crotalinae in the family Viperidae. The eastern copperhead has distinctive, dark brown, hourglass-shaped markings, overlaid on a light reddish brown or brown/gray background. The body type is heavy, rather than slender. Neonates are born with green or yellow tail tips, which progress to a darker brown or black within one year. Adults grow to a typical length (including tail) of 50–95 cm (20–37 in). In most of the United States of America, the eastern copperhead favors deciduous forest and mixed woodlands. Wikipedia →
20–30% of wildlife watchers report a Eastern Copperhead sighting in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, based on 173 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
Closest Relatives at Great Smoky Mountains National Park
📅 Monthly Probability
☀️🌙 When They're Spotted
Active throughout day and night · across all parks (global)
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Congaree National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Shenandoah National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Great Smoky Mountains National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Eastern Copperhead in Great Smoky Mountains National Park?
About 26% of wildlife watchers report a Eastern Copperhead sighting in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, based on 173 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Eastern Copperhead in Great Smoky Mountains National Park?
July has the highest sighting rate for Eastern Copperhead in Great Smoky Mountains National Park in our monthly data.