Nature Bulletin No. 732   November 16, 1963
Forest Preserve District of Cook County
Seymour Simon, President
David H. Thompson, Senior Naturalist

****:THE COTTONTAIL RABBIT

The cottontail rabbit is one of the few native animals that has been 
benefited by civilization. They are much more numerous today than 
they were when the early settlers began to cut the forests and plow the 
land for farming. Woodland edges, thickets, brushy fencerows, and 
fields are their favorite haunts. Even in cities and towns their tracks in 
the snow can be seen crisscrossing lawns, gardens and parks, With the 
possible exception of parts of downtown Chicago, cottontails probably 
are to be found on every square mile of land in Illinois. They are so 
successful that five million taken by Illinois hunters in autumn does not 
reduce next year's crop .

Each cottontail has its own home territory, less than five acres in area, 
which it seldom leaves. Even when chased outside by a fox or a dog, it 
circles back to this home base where it is familiar with every brush pile, 
tangle of briers or weed patch that offers protection.

The rabbit does not dig a burrow although it habitually uses woodchuck 
dens, hollow logs and tile drains to escape enemies or for shelter during 
stormy weather. In its daily routine, several hours are spent hunched 
motionless in one or another of several sitting places, or "forms", 
partially hidden under tufts of grass.

Cottontails have two regular mealtimes -- just after dawn and again in 
early evening -- but sometimes they nibble between meals. Their year-
round diet is mostly green plants of a wide variety -- leaves, stems, 
flowerheads and winter rosettes -- both wild and cultivated. Clover and 
alfalfa are favorites. After nipping off a long stem, a rabbit lifts its head 
and with its split upper lip slowly feeds it endwise into the grinding 
molar teeth. When crusted snow covers other food, they chew woody 
twigs and gnaw the bark from trees and shrubs with their chisel-like 
incisor teeth.

The tracks of a rabbit are unlike those of any other animal. Their gait is 
a series of hops or leaps -- up to ten feet or more in length. They never 
walk or trot. The small front feet hit the ground first, one behind the 
other. Then the large hind feet land on each side and ahead of those. 
Their speed is as fast as a dog's or a fox' s for about a fourth of a mile 
but they usually escape by dodging abruptly to the side and doubling 
back. The hind feet are thumped on the ground as a warning signal and 
a mother cottontail uses her feet and toenails to defend her young. In 
courtship, the buck rabbit cavorts and makes high leaps in the air.

The large eyes, set on the sides of the head, can see in all directions 
without moving, although the animal often stands upright on its hind 
feet to get a better view. At rest, the long ears lie flat on the back but 
they are raised and turned from side to side when any hint of danger 
threatens. The twitching nose seems constantly on the alert for any 
strange odor drifting on the breeze.

The female hides her newborn young in a shallow cavity lined with dry 
grass and her own fur -- usually in an open meadow or lawn. Naked and 
blind at first, they grow rapidly. When ten days old their eyes open and 
within another week they are tiny balls of fur nibbling greens and 
playing tag at dusk. Between early spring and late summer each doe 
rabbit rears three or four litters with an average of four to six young 
each.

Cottontails have many enemies -- hawks, owls, snakes, weasels, mink, 
foxes, dogs and cats. Also automobiles and farm machinery. Also 
people who pick up baby bunnies and try to care for them. They should 
be left alone, for the mother is usually nearby and will do a much better 
job.

See Nature Bulletin No. 473, "Rabbits and Hares", for other 
information.