Its ears are smaller than those of jackrabbits, and its hind feet are much larger than its forefeet. Babies. These two terms are often used interchangeably to describe the same animal. The cottontails' arms are shorter than their legs, and the soles of their feet are covered in fur. Cottontails vary from 14 to 18 inches in length and weigh from two to three pounds. They are highly adaptable. Even on a genetic level hares and rabbits are distinct. These rabbits are small, usually weighing only around 2-4 pounds. This group of small mammals includes cottontails, jackrabbits, hares, and rabbits. Rabbits and Hares. Supposedly it has been referred to as the varying hare for its color variations, from a brownish color in the summer to a bright white in the winter. These rabbits are most likely offspring of somebody’s dumped "pet." There are several species of cottontail rabbit, but the eastern cottontail is the most common. The pygmy rabbit is the smallest in Utah and can be distinguished from all other rabbits by it's small size. 1) -- is a true rabbit. Rabbits and Hares; Cottontail; Community Animals Animal Classes Mammals Rabbits and Hares Cottontail. Cottontail. They feed primarily on grasses and forbs. Hares A snowshoe hare in spring, transitioning from its white winter coat. Hares and jackrabbits are leporids belonging to the genus Lepus.Hares are classified in the same family as rabbits.They are similar in size and form to rabbits and have similar herbivorous diets, but generally have longer ears and live solitarily or in pairs. Your best bet to see either in the wild would be to go out at sunrise or sunset, maybe in an area where a logging road or woods trail travels the edge of an opening in the forest, near a swamp, or on the edge of a timber sale that has some tree regeneration. Oregon is home to the American pika and seven species of rabbits and hares. These rabbits have moderately long ears, though not as long as those of jackrabbits or hares, and large round eyes. The only rabbit to build its nest above ground is the cottontail rabbit. American pika Ochotona princeps. This is true regardless of the color of the rabbit, which can vary from gray to reddish brown, according to National Geographic. Hares have 48 chromosomes and rabbits only 44. But they are separate species with varying physical and personality-based traits. Cottontail not a Hare? Cottontail rabbits. Snowshoe hares and the various species of cottontail rabbits look similar from a distance, especially during the summer when the hares don’t have their distinctive white coats. The other is the snowshoe hare. Hares are more nervous than rabbits, and live above … Although rabbits and hares are all from the Leporidae family, they are classified under 9 different genera (8 rabbit genera and 1 hare genus) and 53 species (21 distinct rabbit species, 32 for hares) — and they start life in markedly unique ways. Hares vs. rabbits is a game that most children play while enjoying the great outdoors. You can find Eastern cottontails all over the state. As a noun cottontail is a rabbit of any of various species in genus. Rabbits are active year-round, and can be active day or night during summer or the warmer periods of the day during the winter. Snowshoe hares are far larger than cottontails, growing up to twenty inches long and weighing 3-4 pounds. Also unlike rabbits, their young are able to fend for themselves shortly after birth rather than emerging blind and helpless. In general, rabbits are smaller and have shorter ears than hares. Cottontail rabbits are smaller in size than jackrabbits and hares. In terms of differences between the two, hares are physically larger than rabbits, with longer hind legs, larger feet, and longer ears with black markings, and rather than burrowing into the ground like rabbits, hares build simple nests in the grass. Maine is home to two rabbit-like species, but only one of them -- the New England cottontail (Fig. Was it once classified as a Hare?Carlw4514 19:22, 21 September 2009 (UTC) I figured after three years, Carl deserved an answer..lol. Of these the Eastern Cottontail, native to North America, has been studied most. English (wikipedia hare) Etymology 1 From (etyl) (m), from (etyl) ). Types of Pikas, Rabbits, and Hares. Exploring habitat for ruffed grouse and woodcock as it relates to cottontail rabbits and snowshoe hare. The Eastern cottontail, the most widespread species, averages 12 inches in length and weighs 2 to 4 pounds. Cottontail rabbits are called that because the underside of their tails -- which curls up against the lower back -- is white, just like a small piece of cotton. Rabbit Advocacy often receives calls from people concerned about rabbits they see in the park, by the road, on hospital grounds, or in industrial areas. In Duluth we are in the midst of the overlapping ranges of those two animals. Interesting Facts About the Cottontail. Both rabbits and hares can be very prolific. These rabbits have few defenses other than good eyesight, good hearing, and the ability to flee quickly. These rabbits are widespread across the Americas, and many species are incredibly common. Cottontail rabbits inhabit much of the Western Hemisphere from southern Canada to South America. Damages. Jackrabbits, for instance, are actually hares, whereas the rockhares and the hispid hare are rabbits. Eastern Cottontail. The main differences are the small size and white, buffy tail. Desert Cottontail (Sylvilagus audubonii) Desert Cottontails are able to tolerate diverse habitat from hot desert to woodland at 2000m. hare . COTTONTAIL RABBITS, Sylvilagus spp., (about eight species in the U.S., 16 in the Americas) are the rabbits most of us see in our yards, with each species inhabiting a particular region. Its fur appears gray or brownish-gray. Basic Rabbit Information - Pikas, Cottontails, Hares, Jackrabbits Rabbits, also known as “bunnies,” are found all around the world. Rabbits are in the order Lagomorpha, which also includes hares and pikas. Hares have not been domesticated, while rabbits are kept as house pets. Some people mistakenly think rabbits are rodents. Hares are generally larger than rabbits, with longer ears, and have black markings on their fur. It is not a "true" cottontail. This generally provides the rabbits with more protection than their cousin hares. 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