Broad-banded Copperhead vs. Banded Watersnake

Both have broad crossbands all the way down; they meet in eastern Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana (records share 15 one-degree squares). A: A plain copper head with a heat pit, no face stripe in the Broad-banded Copperhead; a dark stripe from the eye to the corner of the jaw; no pit in the Banded Watersnake. B: Chestnut bands on a pale tan ground, edged paler in the Broad-banded Copperhead; dark brown to black bands on a darker ground, often red or yellow between in the Banded Watersnake. C: Young: a bright yellow tail tip in the Broad-banded Copperhead; young: crisp dark bands and no bright tail tip in the Banded Watersnake. The copperhead is venomous: leave it alone.

Photographs via iNaturalist under Creative Commons licences; the photographers are credited on the sheet.

More comparisons

• Broad-banded Copperhead vs. Eastern Copperhead
• Broad-banded Copperhead vs. Northern Cottonmouth
• Broad-banded Copperhead vs. Common Watersnake
• Broad-banded Copperhead vs. Plain-bellied Watersnake
• Broad-banded Copperhead vs. Diamondback Watersnake
• Banded Watersnake vs. Northern Cottonmouth
• Banded Watersnake vs. Diamondback Watersnake
• Banded Watersnake vs. Plain-bellied Watersnake
• Banded Watersnake vs. Mississippi Green Watersnake
• Banded Watersnake vs. Common Watersnake
• Banded Watersnake vs. Eastern Copperhead
• Glossy Swampsnake vs. Banded Watersnake
• Saltmarsh Snake vs. Banded Watersnake
• Brown Watersnake vs. Banded Watersnake
• Florida Cottonmouth vs. Banded Watersnake
• Florida Green Watersnake vs. Banded Watersnake

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