People in the United States can encounter three types of snakes: the copperhead snake, the king snake, and the black snake. Though they may look similar, these snakes couldn’t be more different. So, how do you tell them apart?
Copperheads are light brown with a triangular head, and king snakes are dark brown or black with vibrant patterns. Non-venomous black snakes have shiny black scales with white stripes. While the copperhead is the most venomous of the three, the king snake is immune to venom.
In the wild, these snakes are often confused with one another. Read on, as this article will explore the differences between these three snake types in detail.
Key Differences Between Copperhead Snakes, King Snakes, and Black Snakes
Here is a table summarizing the primary differences between copperheads, king snakes, and black snakes:
| Copperhead Snakes | King Snakes | Black Snakes | |
| Scientific Name | Agkistrodon contortrix | Lampropeltis getula/elapsoides | Pantherophis obsoletus |
| Range and Habitat | A wide range of habitats: Forests Open fields Wetlands Found in eastern and central U.S. | Wetlands, bottomlands and forests throughout the U.S. | Farmlands Woodlands Suburban areas Range: Connecticut through South Carolina West of the Mississippi River Texas Oklahoma Kansas |
| Lifespan | 15-29 years | 10-15 years | 10-20 years |
| Appearance | 2-3 feet (61-91cm) long Copper-colored triangular head Body has brown, black, or reddish-brown scales | 3-5 feet (91-152 cm) tall Typically muted brown or black with vibrant white, red or yellow patterns throughout the body | 4-8 feet (122-244 cm) long Body has smooth, shiny black scales with occasional white stripes or bands |
| Diet | Small mammals Arthropods Insects Frogs Birds Other reptiles | Other snakes Lizards Rodents Spiders Birds | Rodents Birds Reptiles Amphibians |
| Breeding | July to October | March to May | May to late June |
| Behavior | Most active at dawn and dusk Not aggressive but as they are pit vipers, their venom can be fatal if not treated immediately | Non-venomous and kill their prey by constriction Known for their docile nature and their ability to eat other snakes | Active during the day and night Can climb trees and are good swimmers Extremely beneficial as a form of pest control |
| Common Names | Eastern copperhead Chuck head Red eye Leaf snake | Eastern king snake Chain king snake | Chicken snake Rat snake Mountain pilot Black mountain snake |
Let’s take a look at these differences in greater detail:
Range and Habitat
I’ll discuss the range and habitat of these three snakes below:
Copperhead Snakes
A copperhead snake’s habitat typically consists of rocky areas near rivers and streams in the eastern and central United States. You can also find it in residential neighborhoods where it hides under decks and bushes, making its presence dangerous to people and pets alike.
Copperheads prefer warm climates but will hibernate during cold weather to conserve energy. During this time, you can find them amongst rocks or logs in deep burrows that protect them from predators, harsh weather conditions, and extreme temperatures.
King Snakes
The king snake is an incredibly hardy species that is well-adapted to many different terrains and climates in North America. King snakes live in various habitats, from grasslands and forests to deserts. This makes them some of the most versatile and adaptable predators.
Black Snakes
You can find black snakes in various habitat types, such as forests and deserts. Suburban black snakes usually live in trees. However, they also like to hide in dark places like garages. They typically prefer warm climates, but you can also find them in cooler areas.
Lifespan and Appearance
Below is an in-depth comparison of each snake’s lifespan and appearance:
Copperhead Snakes
Copperhead snakes are relatively small creatures, only reaching lengths of around 3 feet (91 cm). You can usually identify them by their reddish-brown crossbands and copper-colored triangular heads. This snake is often confused with the water snake, but the copperhead has a triangular-shaped head, while the water snake has a v-shaped head.
Young copperhead snakes bear a tiny light yellow colored tail tip for luring prey, which fades with age. A copperhead snake’s lifespan is between 15 and 25 years.
The copperhead snake is also a pit viper. This means they have heat-sensing pits or ducts between their nostrils and eyes to help them find warm-blooded prey.
King Snakes
The king snake is non-venomous and can have various colors, including black, white, and yellow. There are multiple types of king snake, but they all share some common characteristics:
- They all have smooth scales and round pupils
- King snakes are typically black or dark brown with narrow bands of white, light yellow, red, or brown running down their backs
- They generally grow between 2 and 4 feet (61-122 cm) long and live for around 10 to 15 years
Black Snakes
The Black snake is also non-venomous and gets its name from its glossy black coloration with rare white markings. The body is slender and cylindrical, with a lighter belly.
Black snakes are the largest of the three, often reaching 6 feet (180 cm) or more in length. The average lifespan of an adult black snake is about 10-15 years, but it can live up to 20 if it lives in optimal conditions.
Diet and Feeding Habits
Here is how each snake compares regarding diet and feeding habits:
Copperhead Snakes
The copperhead snake’s diet consists mainly of arthropods, frogs, insects, and other small mammals. They are not picky eaters and will even consume carrion if they come across it.
Copperheads kill their prey by biting it with their sharp teeth and injecting it with venom, which paralyzes the prey and kills it within minutes. Once the prey is dead, the copperhead will swallow it whole.
King Snakes
King snakes are predators, and their diet consists mostly of rodents and other small mammals, which they kill by constriction. They wrap their bodies around the prey and tightly squeeze it until it stops breathing.
They will also eat reptiles, birds, and amphibians. They’re opportunistic eaters, which means they’ll eat whatever is available to them and can be ophiophagus in their diet.
Sometimes, they will eat other venomous snakes, such as rattlesnakes, explaining why people sometimes refer to the king snake as the “snake eater.” Given their penchant for dining on other snakes, it’s unsurprising that king snakes have few predators.
Black Snakes
Black snakes are carnivores, and their diet consists primarily of rodents, such as mice and rats. They will also eat lizards, frogs, and birds but will not eat fish. They use their muscular coils to wrap around their prey, immobilizing it before they eat it.
Breeding and Reproduction
Let’s take a deeper look at these snakes’ breeding and reproduction habits:
Copperhead Snakes
Copperheads typically breed in late summer, between July and October, but not every year. Female copperheads can often continuously produce young for several years and then do not breed at all for a few years.
Copperhead females give birth to live young (rather than laying eggs) and usually have between 3 and 8 babies at a time. These babies are born with a yellow tail tip that fades as they age.
King Snakes
King snakes are typically monogamous and will mate with one partner and remain with them until the eggs have hatched.
King snakes generally breed from March to May, with the female laying 3 to 29 eggs in early summer. The hatchlings are born two to three months later, approximately 5-8 inches (12.7-20.32 cm) long, and are ready to start hunting and fending for themselves almost immediately.
Black Snakes
The typical breeding season for black snakes is from May to late June. During this time, male snakes search for females and often travel long distances to find a mate. They will then mate, and the female will lay a clutch of eggs.
The average clutch size is between 10 and 20 eggs, though larger clutches are not unheard of. The eggs incubate for around two months before hatching. After hatching, the young snakes are on their own and must fend for themselves.
Behavior
Here is how the three snakes compare regarding behavior:
Copperhead Snakes
Copperheads are venomous snakes, and their bite can be dangerous to humans. They hunt by relying on their acute sense of smell and heat-sensitive pits between the nostrils and eyes. These allow them to detect prey even in total darkness.
Although copperheads aren’t particularly aggressive, they will defend themselves if threatened or provoked. Understanding their behavior is vital to avoid potential confrontations with this species.
Copperhead snakes are nocturnal creatures, and you can find them hiding under rocks or in trees during the daytime.
King Snakes
A king snake, on the other hand, is a shy snake and will usually try to escape if it feels threatened. If a king snake bites you, the bite may hurt, but it will not be fatal. If cornered or threatened, king snakes will defend themselves by biting and releasing a foul-smelling musk.
They are famous for killing and eating other snakes, venomous as well as non-venomous, by constricting them. They are expert swimmers and can climb, too.
Black Snakes
Black snakes are generally not aggressive and will only strike if they feel threatened. They are active hunters capable of climbing trees and swimming in water to catch prey. If you encounter a black snake, there is no need to be alarmed. These snakes are beneficial to have around your property, as they help control rodent and pest populations.
Here’s a video explaining why you shouldn’t fear black snakes:
Common Names and Varieties
Let’s compare the three snake species’ names and varieties:
Copperhead Snakes
You can find copperhead snakes (Agkistrodon contortrix) in 4 varieties:
- Southern copperheads
- Eastern copperheads or more popularly ‘water moccasins’
- Osage copperheads
- Trans-pecos copperheads
King Snakes
There are several king snake (Lampropeltis elapsoides) varieties in North America and Mexico:
- Eastern king snakes
- Speckled king snakes
- Black king snakes
- California king snakes
- Desert king snakes
- Scarlet king snakes
Black Snakes
There are four types of black snake (Pantherophis):
- Black rat snakes
- Northern and southern black racers
- Black king snakes
- Black garter snakes
- Black swamp snakes
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Is the Most Dangerous: the Copperhead, King, or Black Snake?
Copperhead snakes are the most dangerous of the three species, as their venom can be fatal to humans. King snakes and black snakes are not poisonous and pose no threat to humans.
The copperhead snake is poisonous but not aggressive, whereas king snakes aren’t as dangerous but still venomous. Black snakes are the least dangerous of the tree but will still bite if provoked.
Do King Snakes Eat Other Venomous Snakes?
King snakes eat other venomous snakes. They commonly eat cottonmouths, copperheads, and rattlesnakes. Since they’re immune to venom, feeding on other venomous snakes isn’t harmful to them.
Native to much of the United States, king snakes are known as fierce predators that can take down prey larger than themselves, including other venomous snakes such as copperheads and black racers.
While king snakes are not as venomous, they have evolved over millions of years with immunity to their prey’s venom, allowing them to consume it without any harmful effects.
How Do Black Snakes Kill Copperheads?
Black snakes kill copperheads by striking the head and paralyzing it. They will coil their body around the copperhead and constrict it until it suffocates.
Since they are larger and stronger, black snakes are dangerous predators and can kill copperhead snakes. They have powerful jaws that allow them to crush through a copperhead’s protective scales to devour them alive.
Black snakes also have an intimidating presence to scare away smaller predators, such as copperheads, who would otherwise challenge them for food or territory.
Final Thoughts
There are several key differences between copperhead, king, and black snakes.
Copperheads live in the eastern United States, while king snakes are more common in the west. You can find black snakes in any warm North American area.
Copperheads are more aggressive and have more potent venom, while king snakes are less aggressive and have weaker venom. Black snakes are the most docile of the three and have the weakest venom. They are also the largest.
If you encounter one of these snakes, it is best to leave it alone.