“Both of these species are dangerously venomous and should be treated with caution. Do not approach or handle these snakes as a bite could be fatal.” DNR
Size
Adults usually about 2 to 3 feet (24-36 in); record about 53 inches.
How to recognize it
Vertical (cat-like) pupils and a heat-sensing pit between eye and nostril
Heavy-bodied; keeled scales
Head shape alone is not a reliable way to identify copperheads
Where in Maryland
Eastern Copperheads are found throughout Maryland with the exception of several counties on the Eastern Shore. DNR
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52 records by month.What the sources say
Venom: “Warning: this species is venomous!” (DNR)
Habitat: This is a snake of forests, old fields, swamps, dry sandy ridges adjacent to swamps, and agricultural fields adjacent to forests. (DNR)
“Both of these species are dangerously venomous and should be treated with caution. Do not approach or handle these snakes as a bite could be fatal.” DNR
Size
Most adults 36 to 60 inches (3 to 5 feet); record 74.5 inches.
How to recognize it
Black tail ending in a rattle
Heat-sensing pit between nostril and eye
Large, thick head distinct from the neck; cat-like vertical pupil
Where in Maryland
Exclusively a western Maryland species, from Frederick to Garrett County, although historical records place these snakes east to the Susquehanna River. DNR
Conservation
State Watchlist (DNR herp checklist); RTE list Dec 2025: G4 S3
What the sources say
Venom: “Warning – this is a venomous snake.” (DNR)
Habitat: Prefer upland forested areas with rocky outcrops and talus slopes. (DNR)
For 2 other snakes on Maryland's list, no official source we use states whether it is venomous: Northern Mole Kingsnake and Rainbow Snake. That does not make them harmless. Leave every snake alone.
See all 26 snakes, venomous and not, on Maryland snakes. DNR gives Maryland 25 snake species in all; that page lists the 26 that official sources name one by one.
Snakes people confuse
Northern watersnake or Copperhead?
Photo: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Midwest Region · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons
Florida Museum (midland watersnake): the watersnake's crossbands are darker, narrower and much more numerous than a copperhead's and turn into blotches halfway down the body. Watersnakes have round pupils and dark vertical lines near the mouth; copperheads have no such lines.
Copperheads have bold hourglass-shaped bands, and young copperheads under about 12 inches have bright yellow tail tips. Brown snakes have small spots, not hourglass bands.
Brown Snake (Dekay's Brownsnake) or Red-bellied Snake?
Missouri: red-bellied snakes are sometimes mistaken for young copperheads. Copperheads are stout-bodied with hourglass-shaped markings on the back, vertical pupils, a sensory pit between each nostril and eye and, sometimes, especially in young copperheads, a yellow tail tip.
Massachusetts: look at the neck; the wormsnake has no constriction between the head and body. Connecticut also lists it as confused with the redbelly snake.
Photos show typical adults; individuals vary. Never get close to compare.
When venomous snakes are active in Maryland
Records of snakes in Maryland peak in April to June and September. They show when people record snakes, not how many there are (about month bars).
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
2,041 records of snakes in Maryland by month (GBIF, CC0 and CC BY records).
Timber Rattlesnake: day-active in spring and fall, night-active in summer, most active in spring after hibernation. DNR
Eastern Hog-nosed Snake: look along edges in late spring and summer. DNR
If you are bitten or stung
Call 911 or Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222 right away. Poison Help connects you to your local poison center, any time of day.
Official advice from DNR:
If bitten by a venomous snake, immediately contact the Maryland Poison Center at 800-222-1222 (open 24 hours). DNR
Leave snakes alone; many bites occur when people try to capture or kill venomous snakes. DNR
Copperhead and timber rattlesnake should not be approached or handled. DNR
Snake bites are serious and need expert evaluation; Maryland Poison Control receives about 100 snake bite cases a year. DNR
How to report
Nuisance, injured or sick wildlife: call toll-free in Maryland 1-877-463-6497 (USDA Wildlife Services, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday, except State holidays); from outside Maryland 410-349-8055. DNR
The species list comes from The Reptiles and Amphibians of Maryland (Maryland Herp Checklist) (Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR), undated; "Taxonomy based on Nicholson 2025"; Internet Archive capture 2026-05-14). 1 more entry comes from other official sources named on each card.
Venom labels come only from official sources and link to them; "Not stated" never means harmless. How labels work.
“Mimics the color and pattern of the venomous Eastern Coral Snake, however this non-venomous species has black separating the narrow yellow (sometimes white) blotches and broad red blotches”
“Diurnal during the spring and fall, nocturnal during summer to avoid the heat. Most active in the spring following hibernation.”
“Exclusively a western Maryland species, from Frederick to Garrett County, although historical records place these snakes east to the Susquehanna River.”
“Easily confused with a juvenile Eastern Ratsnake”
Venomous Snakes of Maryland. Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR). archived copy, captured May 15, 2026; checked November 3, 2026.Archived copy. Quoted passages (6)
“If bitten by a venomous snake, immediately contact the Maryland Poison Center at 800-222-1222. The Maryland Poison Center is open 24 hours a day”
“Never handle venomous snakes, alive or dead.”
“Leave snakes alone. Many bites occur when people attempt to capture or kill venomous snakes.”
“Both of Maryland’s pit vipers should be treated with caution and should not be approached or handled.”
“On average, Maryland Poison Control receives 100 snake bite cases each year, about half of which are due to bites from venomous snakes, mostly copperhead bites. Snake bites are serious and require expert evaluation and treatment.”
“Several of Maryland’s snakes possess venom, but only the copperhead and the timber rattlesnake have medically significant venom known to cause adverse reactions in humans.”
Wildlife Problems. Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR). archived copy, captured August 29, 2026; checked November 3, 2026.Archived copy. Quoted passages (1)
“To report nuisance, injured or sick wildlife, call toll-free in Maryland 1-877-463-6497.”
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