Eastern Cottontail Rabbit
Scientific Name: Sylvilagus floridanus
Category: mammal
Brief Description
A medium-sized wild rabbit with brown-grey fur and a distinctive fluffy white tail that looks like a cotton ball.
Characteristics
Speckled brown-grey fur with a reddish-brown patch on the nape of the neck. It has long ears, large dark eyes, and a short white tail. Large hind feet allow for powerful jumping.
Habitat
Open grassy areas, fields, brushy thickets, and suburban yards. They are common in North America, from southern Canada to South America.
When to Find It
Most active at dawn and dusk (crepuscular) year-round.
Conservation Status
Least Concern
Ecological Role
A critical prey species for many predators including hawks, owls, foxes, and coyotes. They also help disperse seeds through their diet.
Easily Confused With
New England Cottontail (nearly identical, requires DNA or skull analysis to distinguish) and Snowshoe Hare (larger feet, turns white in winter).
Observation Tips
Move slowly and quietly. They often 'freeze' when they detect movement, relying on camouflage before Bolting in a zigzag pattern.
Interesting Facts
Eastern Cottontail young are born blind and hairless in a shallow nest called a 'form,' unlike hares which are born with fur and open eyes.