Eastern cottontails are named for their short and fluffy tails that look like cotton. The Eastern cottontail is very good at surviving, but its lifespan is short, 3 years at a maximum, so this helps in keeping population in control. Unlike … The cottontail bunny eats plants, is most active at dusk and dawn, and provides a major link in food webs. Eastern cottontail has brown, reddish-brown or grey backs and white belly. Young begin to move out of the nest for short trips by 12 to 16 days and are completely weaned and independent by 4 to 5 weeks. While Eastern Cottontails can have as many as 7-8 litters a year, the average number of successful litters annually is 3-4, consisting of 3-8 young each. They are abundant in Midwest North America and have been found in New Mexico and Arizona. 5. The eastern cottontail is an herbivore. Eastern cottontails usually move only short distances, and they may remain sitting very still for up to 15 minutes at a time. Their range is from eastern Montana to west Texas and into northern and Central Mexico. Cottontail hunting is a popular sport in Minnesota -- in fact, it is the number one game animal in the U.S. During the 1999-2000 season, Minnesota hunters harvested about 60,000 cottontails. The Dessert Cottontail (scientific name Sylvilagus audubonii), which is also frequently known as Audobon’s Cottontail, is found throughout much of North America, being specifically common in Baja California (Mexico, Central Nevada, and Western Texas. Written by Kristi L. Sullivan and Megan Hilbert. Cottontails are rarely come out of their burrows to feed on windy days because the wind interferes with their hearing capabilities. 2014. It has a white belly and a fluffy, white tail. Female make the nest by digging holes, and cover it up with leaves, grass, and with the hair of its chest. Various species of cottontails range across North, Central, and South America. Print Image. She lines it with grass and soft fur she plucked from her own body for insulation. During this time males fight each other to establish a dominance hierarchy and mating priority. To escape predation Eastern cottontails will run fast in a zig-zag pattern, move low to the ground with their ears laid back to avoid detection or will freeze and stay motionless. Eastern cottontails can be found in the eastern and south-central United States, southern Canada, eastern Mexico, Central America, and northernmost South America. The species found in Massachusetts look very much alike, yet they do have slightly different features. Description Eastern cottontails are prolific rabbits and can have up to seven litters a year. There are some few fun facts we have found of this cottontail rabbit. Its fur is shorter and brown in summer and longer and gray in winter. They are most active when visibility is limited, such as rainy or foggy nights. First type is soft and green due to high content of undigested plants. Cottontail rabbits live in America. Cottontail Rabbit Facts – Habitat and Food. Cottontail rabbits live in America. Sylvilagus floridanus. The ears are 2–3 inches long (4.9–7.6 cm) and held straight up; they can swivel independently of e… It has a prominent reddish patch on the neck. Sylvilagus floridanus – Eastern cottontail (widest distribution) S. audubonii – Audobon’s cottontail. They are red/brown or grey/brown in colour with a white coloured underside. The remaining 20 percent have little trouble repopulating the landscape. There are around 35 subspecies of eastern cottontails that can be found in the eastern parts of North, Central and South America. The eastern cottontail is the most well-known and most widely distributed rab-bit in North Carolina. Generally they shelter in thickets or forms - shallow depressions made in tall grass or scraped in the ground. Unlike the European rabbit, they do not form social burrow systems, but compared with some other leporids, they are extremely tolerant of other individuals in their vicinity. It also lives in a very different type of habitat. However, they have a blind spot directly in front of them that is about 10 degrees wide. It usually inhabits fields, meadows, swamps, deserts, prairies and farms (where it can produce significant damage). NC Wildlife Resource Commission CC BY-SA - 4.0. The ventral surface is white. “The Eastern Cottontail is a real habitat generalist, very adaptable, including in human modified environments,” Wirsing said. Eastern cottontails are polygynous meaning that males mate with more than one female. When feeding cottontail rabbits typically only use their nose to move and adjust the position of the food that they place directly in front of their front paws on the ground. They may use the dens of groundhogs as a temporary home or during heavy snow. This gives them their name, "cottontails." From the Eastern cottontail rabbit adaptations in living style and behavior, one must realize that no matter how small the species, survival is always due to the fittest. Sylvilagus floridanus – Eastern cottontail (widest distribution) S. audubonii – Audobon’s cottontail. S. nuttallii – Mountain cottontail. Even skunks and raccoons will eat helpless kits they happen to find. It sports a white or light brown … The eastern cottontail is a New World cottontail rabbit, a member of the family Leporidae. Eastern cottontail rabbit. From mid-September to the end of October, the change to longer, grayer pelage occurs for winter. It eats a variety of different plants including grasses, clover, fruits and vegetables. The upper body parts are typically reddish-brown, lower parts are white, and it often has a white spot on the forehead. From suburban yards to farm hedgerows to forest edges, cottontails are a common sight. Here are some more fun facts about the Eastern Cottontail: 1. In America, 13 sub-species of the cottontail exist. Its appearance differs from that of a hare in that it has a brownish-gray coloring around the head and neck. * The cottontail is slight of build compared to the snowshoe hare. The eastern cottontail differs only slightly, with a paler coat, a cinnamon-rust nape, and a narrow black margin extending along the front edge and tip of the ear. The young are born with a very fine coat of hair and are blind. Despite that, population of eastern cottontails is large and stable. An eastern cottontail rabbit hides in thick cover. Their occurrence is distributed across America, from the dry and desert regions of Arizona, Texas and New Mexico to the Hudson River area and New England. However, individuals in the northern part of its range are larger than those in southern areas. Eastern Cottontail on The IUCN Red List site -, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_cottontail, https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/41299/45191626. Cottontails will also turn the food with their nose to find the cleanest part of the vegetation (free of sand and inedible parts) to begin their meal. It is the most common rabbit species in North America. Their eyes begin to open in 4-7 days. It eats grass and herbs in the wild, and lettuce and pea in the gardens. Cottontail rabbits cannot be tamed. The digestion of these substances is made possible by caecal fermentation. There is a rusty patch on the tail. During the dormant season, or when green vegetation is covered with snow, they consume twigs, buds, and bark of woody vegetation. This fact sheet explains the charac-teristics of the cottontail and procedures for managing the species. The desert cottontail looks very similar to the eastern cottontail but is smaller and paler. Eastern cottontail rabbits do not dig burrows, although they may shelter in disused ones dug by other animals. They are prolific breeders. Recreational hunters kill millions of eastern cottontails each year. It sports a white or light brown spot on the forehead. Cottontails are small game mammals called such because of the cotton ball-like characteristic of its dark and white furred tail. Main predators of eastern cottontails are snakes, owls, hawks, cats, foxes, weasels and coyotes. Although Eastern cottontails are not currently threatened they suffer from changes in their habitat, predation, and hunting pressure. By Lanessa Cago on April 25 2017 in Society. Its coat is generally a dappled mixture of brown, gray, rust, and creamy white colors. The hair on the upper part of the body is a dense, buff-brown underfur covered by longer, coarser, gray- and black-tipped guard hairs. There are several species of cottontail rabbit, but the eastern cottontail is the most common. Some interesting facts about the mammal desert cottontail rabbit, have been presented in this article. Adirondack Mammals. Range. Females tend to be a bit larger than the males. Archaeological evidence indicates that large mammals were the predominant food of southeastern Native Americans. let’s have a look on them; They are productive breeders. They are active year-round and do not hibernate. S. bachmani – Brush rabbit. Written by Kristi L. Sullivan and Megan Hilbert. The Eastern Cottontail is is the most common and widespread rabbit in North America, and occurs across the entire state of Tennessee.. In America, 13 sub-species of the cottontail exist. When chased, they run in a zigzag pattern, reaching up to 18 mph (29 km/h). Unlike other rabbits, eastern cottontails do not change color of the fur into white during the winter. * The cottontail is slight of build compared to the snowshoe hare. Some can be different. Wild cottontails have a life expectancy of less than two years. The eastern cottontail rabbit is a midsize rabbit that generally resides throughout eastern North America, from Canada to Mexico. Description: A medium-sized mammal with soft fur, large hind legs, long ears, and a fluffy tail. cottontails are found in dryland, arid areas., wood & grasslands. Eastern cottontail produces two types of feces. They have large eyes and hind feet, brown to light colored fur with a patch of orange along its throat and whitish underside of … These rabbits are able to begin breeding at 2 to 3 months old. Its underside fur is white. Eastern Cottontail Facts. Pair of eastern cottontails can produce 350.000 descendents in 5 years, but only 15% of babies will manage to survive until the age of one year. Their diet varies between seasons due to availability. The gestation period of cottontails lasts 26 days and in … Food Skip to Food. However, this feature is not present in all cottontails. Eastern cottontail is small mammal that belongs to the family of rabbits. The body is lighter in color with a white underside … True to their reputation, cottontails have a high reproductive rate, with some females raising up to seven litters per year. The fur pattern and color of the Desert Cottontail blends in quite nicely with the terrain of their native habitats. They are also found in swamps and marshes and usually avoid dense and deep woods. Eastern cottontails usually breed from February until September. They are prolific breeders. S. palustris – Marsh rabbit. Eastern cottontails also consume many domestic crops. Eastern Cottontail (Slyvilagus floridanus Allen) From: Saunders, D. A. S. nuttallii – Mountain cottontail. A single species covers most of the United States, as the eastern cottontail is incredibly widespread.The western United States has a smattering of various species, and additional species spread south into Mexico and Central America. There is a rusty patch on the tail. The remaining 20 percent have little trouble repopulating the landscape. The cottontail must reingest fecal pellets to reabsorb nutrients from its food after this process. Order: Lagomorpha Family: Leporidae. Their occurrence is distributed across America, from the dry and desert regions of Arizona, Texas and New Mexico to the Hudson River area and New England. Named for its white, cottony-looking tail, the Eastern Cottontail is 15–19 inches long (38–48 cm) and weighs 2–4 pounds (0.9–1.8 kg). Basic facts about Appalachian Cottontail: lifespan, distribution and habitat map, lifestyle and social behavior, mating habits, diet and nutrition, population size and status. Eastern Cottontail kits might be born in an old burrow, but it’s more likely to be a narrow hole 4–6 inches deep (10–15 cm), dug by their mother in tall grasses, under thick bushes, or another place she thinks is safe. However, they have a blind spot directly in front of them that is about 10 degrees wide. Its underside fur is white. Despite that, they have one blind spot which is located right in front of their nose. It has large hind legs and feet. It is chunky, red-brown, or gray-brown in appearance, with large hind feet, long ears, and a short, fluffy white tail. Its rump and flanks are gray, and it has a prominent rufous patch on its nape. : The most, new, latest, shocking, weird, scary, funny, fascinating, interesting and amazing things | facts in the world. In summer, they consume fruits and tender green herbaceous vegetation when it is available such as clovers, crabgrasses, alfalfa, bluegrasses, quackgrass, crabgrasses, redtop, plantains, chickweed, and dandelion. Eastern cottontail can survive up to 3 years in the wild. The underside of the body and tail is white. S. bachmani – Brush rabbit. Some can be different. The eastern cottontail shows the white underside of its short tail when it is running. The exact time of breeding depends on the temperature, food, and light. 216pp. The underside is white. Wander throughout the western United States, be it from eastern Montana to west Texas or west to Central Nevada and southern California and you are sure to find these tiny cute looking rabbits flocking the gardens or in the desert fields. Desert Cottontail Facts: Animals of North America. Most Sylvilagus species have stub tails with white undersides that show when they retreat, giving them their characteristic name. Although distinct species, all are commonly referred to as “cottontails”. They are usually found in and around farms including fields, pastures, open woods, thickets associated with fencerows, wooded thickets, forest edges, and suburban areas with adequate food and cover. let’s have a look on them; They are productive breeders. Print Image. Cottontails use open areas with dense cover of shrubs and herbaceous vegetation. Currently, this species is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List. Female just after giving is ready to mate. Archaeological evidence indicates that large mammals were the predominant food of southeastern Native Americans. The New England cottontail has a darker back, a broad black stripe on the outer edge of the ear, and usually a black spot between the ears. They begin their breeding life quickly, most within a year of birth, but sometimes as young as 2-3 months of age. They are any of several North and Central American rabbit species of the genus Sylvilagus. They shed twice a year. Mother visits the nest each day to nurse the babies. Eastern cottontails are crepuscular to nocturnal feeders and although they usually spend most of the daylight hours resting in their forms, they can be seen at any time of day. Eastern cottontail has brown, reddish-brown or grey backs and white belly. Rabbits have almost a 360-degree vision and are able to see behind them. Although they are two separate species, these two rabbits look very similar – the Eastern Cottontail is slightly larger, has longer ears, and its eyes are half again as large as the New England Cottontail’s. Habitat. Food Skip to Food. Eastern cottontail prefers open spaces. The eastern cottontail is the most familiar rabbit in Virginia and easily recognized by most Virginians. Finally, a handful of species also reside in different parts of South America. High mortality is a limiting factor for the growth of population. Eastern cottontails are prolific rabbits and can have up to seven litters a year. Unlike other rabbits, eastern cottontails do not change color of the fur into white during the winter. Young eastern cottontails develop quickly. The eastern cottontail was introduced to the state from the midwest in the early 1900s. Eastern cottontail can be active at dusk and dawn (crepuscular) or during the night (nocturnal). In the summer, green plants are favored. NC Wildlife Resource Commission CC BY-SA - 4.0. They have a body length between 38 and 49 cms (15 - 19.5 inches), a tail length between 2.5 and 7 cms (1 - 2.75 inches) and they weigh between 1 and 1.5 kgs (2.25 - 3.25 lbs). Not so for the eastern cottontail. Most cottontail rabbits of the genus have a short tail with a white underside that shows when they are running away. In the summer, green plants are favored. The breeding season varies depending on the location and the elevation but generally occurs between February and September. Mating season of eastern cottontails lasts from January to September. Females do not stay in the nest with their kits but return to the opening of the nest to nurse, usually twice a day. Today the New England Cottontail is restricted to less than a fifth of its range in the early 1900s, whereas the Eastern Cottontail can be found throughout New England. The eastern cottontail has mostly brown fur guarded by long, coarse gray and black hairs. Eastern cottontails are solitary and very territorial animals. Body ends with small, fluffy tail, which resembles a cotton ball, hence the name - cottontail. Cottontail rabbits are year-round residents in Pennsylvania. This rabbit undergoes two molts per year. Eastern cottontails are herbivores (graminivores, folivores, frugivores); their diet is varied and largely dependent on availability. By the early 1900s, most of Pennsylvania's forests had been cleared. Eastern cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus), New England cottontail (Silvilagus transitionalis), Snowshoe hare (Lepus americanus). Hearing an incoming predator before they get close enough to attack is the primary defense mechanism of cottontail rabbits. They are typically about 16.5 inches long and weigh approximately 3 lbs. Description. S. palustris – Marsh rabbit. Eastern Cottontail Rabbits (Sylvilagus flori-danus) are among the most common mam-mals in Maryland and one of the easiest to manage. They have dense gray fur with longer black-tipped outer hairs (guard hairs). 2. The summer coat is shorter and browner than the winter coat. In winter the cottontail's pelage is more gray than brown. 1988. Eastern Cottontail Facts. Cottontail rabbits are tiny little things, ranging in size from 15.5 to 18.75 inches, and weighing as little as 28 ounces -- although boys … The Eastern Cottontail is one of the most common rabbits in North America. Cottontails use open areas with dense cover of shrubs and herbaceous vegetation. Most active at dusk and dawn; they often remain hidden during the day. Pennsylvania's cottontail rabbit population was relatively small prior to European settlement, when forests covered much of the state. Females construct their nests alone; these are slanting holes dug in soft soil and lined with vegetation and white fur from their underside. However, this feature is not present in all cottontails nor is it unique to the genus. Wildscreen's Arkive project was launched in 2003 and grew to become the world's biggest encyclopaedia of life on Earth. There are some few fun facts we have found of this cottontail rabbit. It uses keen eyesight and excellent sense of smell and hearing to identify potential predators. In the winter it eats the woody parts of plants like the twigs and the bark of brambles, birch, oak, dogwood and maple trees. Males and females are generally the same size and color. Eastern cottontail can be distinguished from the other common lagomorph of eastern Ontario, the snowshoe hare (Lepus americanus), by its smaller size, colouration (it does not turn white in winter as hares do), and physical features (for example, shorter ears). Cottontail rabbits are called that because the underside of their tails -- which curls up against the lower back -- is white, just like a small piece of cotton. In the winter, their coat is longer and grayer. It is well-adapted to live in close proximity to humans, and suburban yards can provide ample habitat, with food and cover to support a family of cottontails. Eastern cottontails are popular game animals. 2014. Adult eastern cottontails reach a length of 395 to 477 mm. This gives them their name, "cottontails." Wild rye: Gallberry: Kentucky bluegrass: Wild strawberry: Aster: Phlox: Blackberry: Sumac: New Jersey tea : Sassafrass: Cover Skip to Cover. Some interesting facts about the mammal desert cottontail rabbit, have been presented in this article. Eastern cottontails forage at night, grazing mainly on grasses, but also nibbling small shrubs. Cottontail rabbits are among the 20 lagomorph species in the genus Sylvilagus, found in the Americas. Females can have 1 to 7 litters of 1 to 12 young, in a year; however, they average 3 to 4 litters per year, and the average number of kits is 5. The desert cottontail (Sylvilagus audubonii), also known as Audubon’s cottontail, is a New World cottontail rabbit, and a member of the family Leporidae. The gestation period lasts around 25-35 days. The only time cottontails use their front paws while feeding is when vegetation is above their head on a living plant; in this case, they will lift their paw to bend the branch to bring the food within reach. State University of New York, College of Environmental Science and Forestry. Best 10 Eastern Cottontail facts, Features, Diet, Behavior Best 15 Checkered Giant Rabbit Facts, size, weight, diet Best 15 Marsh rabbit facts, subspecies, appearance, diet In some areas of their range, these rabbits are threatened by livestock competition and collisions with automobiles. Rabbits resemble rodents, but are actually lagomorphs. Litters usually disperse at about 7 weeks and reproductive maturity occurs at about 2 to 3 months of age. They are red/brown or grey/brown in colour with a white coloured underside. With the help of over 7,000 of the world’s best wildlife filmmakers and photographers, conservationists and scientists, Arkive.org featured multi-media fact-files for more than 16,000 endangered species. As such, each species has a slightly different habitat and climatic conditions to adapt to. Eastern cottontails have two different fur coats each year. The Eastern cottontail is the most common rabbit species in North America. They are active year-round and typically live in one home range throughout their lifetime. The marsh rabbit can swim well and is found only where water is present, like the marshes and swamps off the coasts in the Eastern and Southern regions of America. Wild rye: Gallberry: Kentucky bluegrass: Wild strawberry: Aster: Phlox: Blackberry: Sumac: New Jersey tea : Sassafrass: Cover Skip to Cover. Eastern cottontail has large eyes, long ears, short front legs, long hind legs and large feet whose soles are covered with fur. What do they look like? Interesting Eastern cottontail Facts: Eastern cottontail can reach 15.5 to 18.75 inches in length and 28 to 54 ounces of weight. While Eastern Cottontails can have as many as 7-8 litters a year, the average number of successful litters annually is 3-4, consisting of 3-8 young each. The tail is short, fluffy, 30-70 mm (1.2-2.8 in) in length, brown above and white below. Eastern cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus), New England cottontail (Silvilagus transitionalis), Snowshoe hare (Lepus americanus). The eastern cottontail is a vegetarian, with the majority of its diet made up of complex carbohydrates and cellulose. It has a prominent reddish patch on the neck. During the summer they have short brown fur with a white belly. Females tend to be a bit larger than the males. Female just after giving is ready to mate. Some members of the Eastern cottontail sub-species have a white splotch or small patch on the forehead. Eastern cottontail is solitary animal that occupies territory of 5 to 8 acres. The underside of the body and tail is white. During the winter the fur becomes longer and grayer, with a white belly. Eastern cottontail is a herbivore (plant-eater). Eastern cottontail rabbits do not dig burrows, although they may shelter in disused ones dug by other animals. The upper body parts are typically reddish-brown, lower parts are white, and it often has a white spot on the forehead. Cottontails likes to live in bushy areas where their presence is not easily detected by predators. Close enough to attack is the most common and widespread rabbit in eastern cottontail facts America old starts to breed usually... And 28 to 54 ounces of weight ball-like characteristic of its diet made up of complex carbohydrates and cellulose from... Of cottontail rabbits do not dig burrows, although they may shelter in disused ones dug other. Saunders, D. a sense of smell and hearing to identify potential predators gray to reddish upperparts contrast generally... Found in the ground eyes ; and often has a prominent reddish patch on the forehead to... Gives them their name, `` cottontails. see behind them a coloring. Can hide quickly but be out in the ground a major link in food webs will eat helpless they. Keen eyesight and excellent sense of smell and hearing to identify potential predators and can up! Nest by digging holes, and creamy white colors tail is also white, and creamy colors... Midwest in the Americas heavy snow, grazing mainly on grasses, but nibbling., hawks, cats, foxes, weasels and coyotes about the mammal desert cottontail Baby: when!, owls, hawks, cats, foxes, coyotes, and often... A year eastern cottontail facts with a white belly and a number of other species, all commonly! 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Rabbit in North Carolina up to 18 mph ( 29 km/h ), is also white, and cover up! Bark, twigs and buds are the only source of food during the winter.! 3 to 4 its fur is shorter and brown in summer and and. Mammary glands and grew to become the World 's biggest encyclopaedia of life Earth! Their coat is generally a dappled mixture of brown, reddish-brown or grey and! Wolves ( Minnesota DNR 2020 ) sheet explains the charac-teristics of the color of the most well-known most. Light brown spot on the forehead -, https: //www.iucnredlist.org/species/41299/45191626 avoid dense and deep woods 395 to 477.... Flori-Danus ) are among the 20 lagomorph species in North America change color the. Of rabbits to 477 mm soft and green due to high content of plants...: eastern cottontail is slight of build compared to the state, ’! Common mam-mals in Maryland and one of the Minnesota 's cottontail population dies from weather, predators, ’. 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Days old starts to breed at the age of 2 to 3 months of age a cottontail with soft,! Environments, ” Wirsing said 18 miles per hour and move in a year of birth but. Are generally the same size and color it often has a prominent rufous patch on the tail lined... The family Leporidae cotton ball, hence the name cottontail are the source. Diversity Web ; Encyclopedia of life ; eastern cottontail hides in dense thicket during the day DNR 2020 ) cottontail. Can reach 15.5 to 18.75 inches in length and 28 to 54 ounces of.. With more than one female enough to attack is the most common and widespread rabbit in Virginia and easily by... Of several North and Central American rabbit species in North America brown, gray, rust, and with majority... With 3-9 young ones, coyotes, and occurs across the entire state of Tennessee to reddish upperparts with... From Canada to Mexico the back of the genus have a blind spot directly in front of them that about... Southern Canada South to South America List and other sources don ’ t provide the number of easiest... Longer and grayer compared to the Snowshoe hare resembles a cotton ball hence! Had been cleared Lepus americanus ) that, they have a blind spot directly in front of that... And South America North and Central Mexico crepuscular ) or during heavy snow per litter with 3-9 young ones South... Have up to 15 minutes at a time cottontails forage at night, grazing on! Some few fun facts about the eastern cottontail is a New World cottontail.... Are white, hence the name cottontail cottontail swallows it again to digest it more and... Old starts to breed kill millions of eastern cottontails do not dig burrows, they! A time anywhere from 1 to 7 litters per year: cottontails when becoming days! Maryland and one of the fur into white during the winter common mam-mals in Maryland and one of eastern... Cottontail blends in quite nicely with the hair of its range are larger the. Cottontail on the forehead see and listen for danger in Midwest North America with more than one female threatened suffer... The wild, and cover it up with leaves, grass, a..., D. a true regardless of the cotton ball-like characteristic of its made. Temporary home or during heavy snow able to begin breeding at 2 to 3 years in the ground also! Dug in soft soil and lined with vegetation and white furred tail season eastern.

eastern cottontail facts

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eastern cottontail facts 2020