Cottontail Rabbits - Pictures

Cottontail Rabbits - Description

The back and the sides of the body are brown, the chest and the stomach are white. On top, the tip of each hair is white, which adds a tweedy tone to the brown. The orange spot on the back of the neck is barely observable. Cottontail Rabbits have a specific manner of getting away from predators. They take several long hops and then zig-zag around the area, and then return back to the starting point. The enemies of the Cottontail are lynx, foxes, weasels, coyotes, badgers, skunks, owls and hawks.

Cottontail Rabbits - Breeding

Mating season begins in mid-February. Cottontails choose spouses by playing vivid games, dancing and hunting one another, thus picking out the healthier mate. Males can copulate with any female that they meet. Females are more faithful and they have only one male.

Gestation period lasts 26-28 days. Litters average 4-7 bunnies. Newborn bunnies open their eyes and obtain their coat only after a week or two. Females regain reproductivity immediately after giving birth. The female takes care of the nest and provides security and comfort.

Cottontails, despite high reproductivity, cannot boast of a long life span. Only 25% of all born Cottontails manage to live 1 year. Others either fall victims to predators or die from natural hazards, such as cold and heavy rains. However, during favorable periods when enough vegetation and warmth is provided, there may be drastic increases in the population of Cottontail Rabbits.

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