Description

The familiar cottontail of eastern U.S. Grayish brown above, grizzled with black; forehead often has white spot. Distinct rust-colored nape. Tail cottony white below. Feet whitish above. Long ears L 14 3/4 - 18 1/4"; T 1 1/2 - 2 1/2"; HF 3 3/8 - 4 1/8"; E 1 7/8 - 2 5/8"; Wt 2-4 lb.

Similar Species

New England Cottontail usually lacks rusty-colored nape and has black patch between ears. Desert Cottontail is usually smaller, with slightly longer ears. Marsh and Swamp rabbits have rusty-colored feet. Snowshoe Hare is usually larger and uniform dark brown in summer.

Breeding

Mates February- September. Gestation 28- 32 days. 3 or 4 litters per year, each or 1-9 young (usually 4 or 5).

Sign

Small woody sprigs cut off cleanly and at an angle (sprigs browsed by deer, which lack upper incisors, are raggedly torn). Young trees striped of bark to height of 3-4" when snow is deep. Scat: Dark brown, slightly flattened, pea-sized pellets, usually in piles. Tracks: In clusters of 4. Foreprints almost round, about 1" wide; hindprint ahead of foreprints, oblong, about 3-4" long, depending on size and speed of rabbit. When sitting on standing: 2 hindprints side by side, just behind 2 more closely spaced foreprints. When moving: 1 foreprint slightly ahead of the other; hindprints ahead of foreprints, as forefeet act as fulcrums for hops. Hindprints relatively short when moving fast, as less of leg touches down. Straddle 4-5"; straid varies with speed.

Habitat

Brushy areas, old fields, woods, and thickets and brush piles.

Other

Most common rabbit in much of the U.S. , the Eastern Cottontail is primarily nocturnal, but is abroad near dawn and dusk and often on dark days. On midwinter nights, groups of cottontails have been seen frolicking on crusty snow. Cottontails usually hop, but they can leap 10-15 feet; sometimes they stand on their hindfeet to view their surroundings. When pursued, they usually circle their territory and often jump sideways to break their scent trail. They dislike getting wet but will swim if pressed. In winter, where brush is strong enough to hold a covering blanket of snow, they often take shelter in woodchuck burrows. This species feeds on many different plants, mainly herbaceous varieties in summer and woody varieties in winter. As is the case with many lagomorphs, in addition to producing typical fecal pellets, the Eastern Cottontail will feed rapidly , then retreat to the safety of a brush pile or other shelter and defecate soft green pellets, to be eaten at leisure. During the breeding season, males fight one another and perform dance-like courtship displays before the territorial females. These displays involve face-offs and much jumping, including females jumping over males. Individuals often jump straight up into the air, and pairs or small groups often engage in active chases. The young are born in a nest lined with plant material and fur from the mothers breast. The nest cavity , in a hollow in the ground, is about 7 inches deep and 5 inches wide. The top of the nest is capped over with vegetation; nests in lawns are often exposed when lawn mowers take the tops off. The young are nursed at dawn and dusk. Within hours after giving birth the female mates again. If no young were lost, a single pair, together with their offspring, could produce 350,000 rabbits in five years. However, this rabbit's death rate vies with its birth rate; few individuals live longer then one year.