Wonders of Wildlife: Eastern Cottontail

Eastern Cottontail

Scientific Name: Sylvilagus floridanus

Found in Alabama: Common statewide

Diet: Herbivore (eats plants)

Eastern Cottontail in Habitat
Wikimedia – Sixflashphoto

Learn More About...

Classification

IDENTIFICATION

Adaptations

Life Cycle

Habitat Needs

Ecological Role

CLASSIFICATION

Scientists use basic traits to
group animals into different taxonomic
classes.

For a taxonomic classification chart comparing key traits of common backyard wildlife,
CLICK HERE!

What type of animal am I?

I am a vertebrate (an animal with a spine or backbone).
I am warm-blooded, so I can control my body temperature.
I have hair/fur on the outside of my body that keep me warm.
I breathe with lungs just like you.
I have 4 legs.

The Eastern Cottontail is a MAMMAL!

IDENTIFICATION TIPS

Size:

Adults reach 12-19 inches in length and weigh up to 2-4 pounds.

Key Characteristics:

Reddish or gray in coloration
Light on the underside
Short white tail
Exceptionally long ears compared to head size
Hind feet are much longer than front feet

Young:

Young are similar in appearance to adults but are smaller in size.

Adult Eastern Cottontail
Wikimedia – Gareth Rasberry

PHYSICAL AND BEHAVIORAL ADAPTATIONS

PHYSICAL ADAPTATIONS

Eastern Cottontails use camouflage:

Eastern cottontails have a variety of predators (animals that eat them).
Their greyish brown fur allows them to easily camouflage (ability to blend in with its surrounding environment).
This camouflage offers protection from being spotted by a predator.

Eastern Cottontails have a long breeding season:

In Alabama, the breeding season for an Eastern cottontail starts in January and ends in autumn.
Each year, a female may have 5-7 litters of young with 3-6 babies per litter.
Eastern cottontails are easily killed by other animals and competition, so producing many babies increases the chances of survival for some of them.
This helps keep population numbers up.

Eastern Cottontail Camouflage
B. Bessesen

BEHAVIORAL ADAPTATIONS

Eastern Cottontails are nocturnal:

They are active during the night (nocturnal).

Eastern Cottontails communicate with one another:

Eastern cottontails have a heightened sense of hearing which they use to sense when danger is near.
If an Eastern cottontail hears a threat nearby, they make a warning call. This sound alerts other individuals in the area about the threat.
Males and females also make a grunting sound if a threat is spotted near the den while young rabbits are there.
These warning sounds may also scare off any animal that might cause them harm.

Eastern Cottontials avoid threats:

Eastern cottontails are nocturnal, meaning they are more active at night.
During the day, they spend most of their time hiding behind plants where they nap and care for themselves.
They must carfully observe their surroundings.
If a threat is spotted, the eastern cottontail escapes by running in a zig zag pattern to the nearest cover or burrow. This is called “flushing” and is effective because of their quick speed. While moving, they also stay low to the ground with their ears held back.
They can also avoid threats by staying motionless (feezing) and relying on their camouflage (ability to blend in with the surrounding environment).

LIFE CYCLE

Nest:

The mother digs a small, shallow hole in the ground.
She lines the nest with fur from her body and grass before covering it with twigs and leaves.
Babies stay in the nest for about 2 weeks.

Young:

Females give birth to an average of 4-5 young per litter but can range from 1-8 young per litter.
Eastern cottontails can have 5-7 litters per year.
Young are similar in appearance to adults but are smaller in size.

Life Span:

They live an average of 15 months.
They can potentially live up to 8-10 years, but few live this long.

Baby Eastern Cottontails in Nest
Wikimedia – Jhansonxi

HABITAT NEEDS

Natural Habitat Needs	Adults	Young
Food	Herbivores (eats plants) In summer, the primary food source is green plants including grasses, clover, strawberry, and wild rye. In winter, the primary food source is woody plant parts including twigs and the bark of several tree species including oak, dogwood, sumac, maple, and birch They also feed on grains in the winter.	The mother nurses her young until they no longer depend on their mothers for milk.
Water	Most of their hydration obtained from food sources. They will drink from puddles, streams, etc. if needed.
Shelter	They often live near fencerows, croplands, pastures, cut forests, briar patches, and un-mowed ditches because of the early plant growth that they use for hiding. They also create burrows underground that provide protection and a possible place to keep their young.	Young remain in the nest, a hollow behind a shrub, or concealed in tall grass for about two weeks while they depend on the mother for food.
Places to Raise Young	Females build a nest in a hollow by a shrub, tree, or in the grass. The nest is lined with grass and fur.

If you want to offer resources in your backyard habitat for this species, consider the suggestions below.

Backyard Habitat Needs	Adults	Young
Food	Provide a grassy area and do not remove clover. Plant oak, dogwood, sumac, maple, or birch trees. Planting grains can help support their winter diet.	Nutrition comes from mother. Providing suitable foods for adult eastern cottontails helps support young eastern cottontails.
Water	If natural source of water is not located nearby, provide a standing source of water such as a small pond.
Shelter	Plant native grasses but leave some areas un-mowed. Provide thickets and brushy areas.	Babies will be sheltered in grass-lined nest until they are independent.
Places to Raise Young	Providing a suitable habitat for eastern cottontails will provide a place for the mother to create the grass-lined den.

ECOLOGICAL ROLE

Animals play an important ecological role in the health of habitats and ecosystems.

Food Source:

Eastern cottontails are prey (eaten by) to most carnivores (animals that eat animals) including hawks, owls, coyotes, foxes, and weasels.

Plant Control:

Eastern cottontails are herbivores (eat plants) and therefore play a role in controlling the plant populations in the surrounding habitat.

Resource for Humans:

Eastern cottontails are edible for human consumption, so they are often hunted for meat and fur.

INFORMATION SOURCES FOR THIS SPECIES

Best, T. L. and J. L. Dusi. 2014
Mammals of Alabama.
The University of Alabama Press.

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