Renée DeVincent
Renée DeVincent
Wild rabbits are some of North America's most common animals. Whether darting through fields or munching on clover, they play an important role in nature. Let’s explore the different types of wild rabbits, what their babies are like, and how they might be living right outside your door!
Wild rabbits are small mammals with long ears, strong back legs, and fluffy tails. They live in underground burrows and are always on alert for predators like foxes, hawks, and coyotes. Unlike pet rabbits, wild rabbits are skittish and prefer to stay away from humans.
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Now, let's take a closer look at five of the most common rabbits in North America!
Eastern Cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus)
Size: 14-19 inches long, 2-4 pounds
Color: Brownish-gray fur with a white belly and a fluffy white tail
Habitat: Fields, meadows, forests, and suburban areas
Dens: Nests in tall grass or under bushes instead of digging burrows
Food: Grass, clover, vegetables, bark, and flowers
Eastern cottontails are the most common wild rabbits in the U.S. They are fast, sneaky, and mostly active at dawn and dusk. (Photo by: By rabbitti - stock.adobe.com)
Desert Cottontail (Sylvilagus audubonii)
Size: 13-17 inches long, 1-3 pounds
Color: Light brown or tan
Habitat: Deserts, scrublands, and dry grassy areas
Dens: Hides in rocky crevices or abandoned animal burrows
Food: Cactus, grass, and shrubs
These rabbits love hot, dry places. They get most of their water from plants, so they don’t need to drink much!
The desert cottontail looks very similar to the eastern cottontail but is smaller with extra-large ears that help it release heat in hot, dry climates. (Photo by: By jurra8 - stock.adobe.com)
Mountain Cottontail (Sylvilagus nuttallii)
Size: 13-16 inches long, 1-2.5 pounds
Color: Brownish-gray with a pale belly
Habitat: Rocky mountains, grasslands, and shrubby areas
Dens: Uses thick vegetation or abandoned burrows for shelter
Food: Grass, sagebrush, twigs, and bark
Mountain cottontails look similar to the Eastern and Desert Cottontail rabbits, but their ears are shorter, helping them stay warm in colder areas.
(Photo by: By moosehenderson - stock.adobe.com)
Marsh Rabbit (Sylvilagus palustris)
Size: 14-16 inches long, 2-3.5 pounds
Color: Dark brown with a small, dark tail
Habitat: Swamps, wetlands, and marshy areas in the southeastern U.S.
Dens: Builds nests in dense vegetation close to water
Food: Water plants, grass, and leaves
These rabbits are great swimmers! They escape predators by jumping into the water and paddling away. They look similar to other cottontails but have shorter tails and darker bellies. They often walk instead of hopping. (Photo By: moosehenderson - stock.adobe.com)
Brush Rabbit (Sylvilagus bachmani)
Size: 12-14 inches long, 1-2 pounds
Color: Dark brown or grayish fur with a small, dark tail
Habitat: Dense brush, chaparral, and coastal forests along the West Coast (Oregon to Baja California)
Dens: Uses thick vegetation for cover instead of burrows
Food: Grasses, leaves, berries, and bark
Brush rabbits are shy and rarely stray far from dense cover, making them harder to spot than other wild rabbits! They are listed as endangered. (Photo By Tim - stock.adobe.com)
Rabbits and hares may look alike, but they have some BIG differences! Check out this chart to see how they compare.
(Diagram by: Renée @ reneedevincent.com)
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Fun Fact: A Jackrabbit is a hare, not a rabbit. All jackrabbits are hares, but not all hares are called jackrabbits.
Baby rabbits are called kits or kittens. A mother rabbit is called a doe, and can have up to seven litters a year, with 3-8 babies in each one.
If you find a nest of baby rabbits, leave them alone—their mother is probably nearby, even if you don’t see her!
Wild rabbits love suburban areas where there’s plenty of food and shelter. If you see a wild rabbit in your yard, watch from a distance—they are shy and scare easily!
Look for:
Small trails in the grass where they hop at night
Chewed leaves and plants in gardens
A small, hidden nest in the grass—baby rabbits may be hiding inside!
They spread plant seeds by eating and digesting them.
They aerate the soil when digging, which helps plants grow.
They are food for many wild animals, keeping ecosystems balanced.
π« Do not touch wild rabbits! If you find a baby rabbit alone, it’s probably not abandoned. The mother only visits a few times a day to keep predators away.
Plant rabbit-friendly plants like clover, dandelions, or herbs (basil, parsley) to attract wild rabbits to observe from a distance. Kids can learn what rabbits eat while helping nature!
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