Many of us see rabbits on an almost daily basis hanging out in our backyards. Do you know what species of rabbit you have, however? Rabbits can all look very similar, with their small mottled brown bodies. Did you know that there are currently 20 species of rabbits in the genus Sylvilagus in the Americas that our New England and eastern cottontails belong to? For example, there are brush, swamp, marsh, Appalachian and many more rabbits/cottontails. These rabbits can be difficult to tell apart if there are overlapping ranges or introduced species, however, you can often tell what rabbit you are seeing based on where you see it! (Click or hover over image to see what rabbit is pictured!) The rabbit you see in your backyard- most likely is an eastern cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus), pictured above on the far right. These rabbits are what we call a generalist, meaning they are able to use a variety of habitats, such as agricultural fields, shrublands, and even your backyard! What makes the New England and eastern cottontail different? Thanks to many rabbit captures and much research, we have been able to find ways to discern New England and eastern cottontails. There are several characteristics and methods we use to determine what species of rabbit we see:
It is important to note that though there are morphological characteristics that we can use to help us get an initial identification of a rabbit, you can rarely identify a rabbit from a distance and they are very variable. For example, eastern cottontails sometimes have a white blaze on their forehead but not always, and though New England cottontails are smaller typically, some can be quite large.
The only way to truly confirm what species you see is by genetics. However, habitat and range are the best way to start thinking about what rabbit you are seeing!
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Cottontail Captures 2019-2020!
AuthorDrew Eline is the graduate student on the New England cottontail project. She currently runs the winter/spring field season. Archives
December 2020
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