Mammals of North America: Eastern Cottontail
The Eastern Cottontail, pictured at right, is thought to be the most populous common species of wild rabbit found in North America. The small mammal is found from southern Canada to northermost South America, with the heaviest populations ranging across the Eastern half of the United States. The adult female Eastern Cottontail is larger than the male. Both have a shorter more brownish coat in the summer, which grows longer and turns more grayish for winter, with lighter fur around the nose and on the belly. Also, the underside of its short tail is white, resembling a cotton puff, hence its name. The Eastern Cottontail's eyes and ears are proportionally large compared to the size of its head. |
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Male rabbits are known as bucks, females as does, and babies as kits, or kittens. The female may produce as many as nine kittens per litter, and seven litters per season. However, the average is about four to five litters of five kits per litter. The kits spend most of their time alone in a protected nest, with the mother returning to feed about twice daily. After six or seven weeks, the kittens strike out on their own.
An Eastern Cottontail feeds mainly on green vegetation in summer, supplemented with wild berries and cultivated garden vegetables where readily available. In winter, the small herbivore will feed on twigs and other woody plant parts, including the bark of certain trees.
Rabbits and hares have many predators including hawks, owls, bobcats, coyotes, red foxes, weasels, and humans; and most Eastern Cottontails do not survive beyond the age of three.
