The Eastern
Cottontail
By Tristen and Liz
The scientific name for the
Eastern Cottontail is Sylvilagus
Floridanus. It can be found year-round
in North America. They are mostly
nocturnal.
vegetables. In the winter time they eat
woody parts of plants and bark of trees.
Habitat
The Eastern Cottontail habitat is found
between woody areas and open land. On
average, a female cottontail's home
range is five to 15 acres, while the males
may be as much as 100 acres. Their
habitat includes:
 Woody areas and open land
 Bushy areas and fields
 Abundant food
 Protective cover
 Brush piles
They also show a preference to areas not
far from a water source, whether it’s a
pond, creek, or spring.
Abundant in open country. Sometimes
found at fencerows, tangled thickets in
pastures, or along roadsides.
They are most active during the early
morning and late evening.
Reproduction
Description
The Eastern Cottontail has a grayishbrown coat with some black in it. Their
feet are white and they usually have a
white chest and a white spot on
their head. They have big long ears and a
white fluffy tail. They can weigh
between 2 and 4 lbs. The cottontail is a
small mammal that hops to get from
place to place.
Feeding Habits
Eastern Cottontails are herbivores and
eat grasses, clover, weeds, bulbs, leaves,
and twigs. They also eat fruits and
The Eastern Cottontail mates between
February and September. The female
gives birth to 2-9 babies, but usually 4-5,
after about a month after mating. The
female builds a nest made out of grasses
and soft fur from her belly. She feeds her
babies milk twice a day. Rabbits can
have up to 6 litters in a year.
Predators
When pursued by a predator, cottontails
circle their territory and jump sideways
to break their scent trail. Most rabbits
live up to a year. They have many
predators including coyotes, bobcats,
foxes, hawks and owls, weasels,
raccoons and mink. When they are
young, they may be killed by mowers.