Cottontail

QUICK FACTS

Eastern Cottontail
Color: Red-brown or gray-brown, white belly
Diet: Herbivorous (grasses, clovers, fruits and vegetables)
Habitat: Grassy areas with shrubs for cover
Average Lifespan: 2 - 3 years
Status: Least Concern (not endangered)

New England Cottontail
Color: Brow or gray-brown, white belly with black markings on the head and ears
Diet: Herbivorous (clover, grass, twigs, bark)
Habitat: Young forests in northern New England
Average Lifespan: 3 years
Status: Vulnerable (endangered in some U.S. states)

 

Eastern Cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus); taken near the Lowell National Historical Park Visitor Center

There are two types of cottontail rabbit you can encounter in Lowell: the common Eastern cottontail (shown left), and the much rarer New England cottontail. There is very little difference between these two species, but there are some ways to tell the difference. New England cottontail can have black markings on its head and ears, and it stands out slightly from its close relative. The only real way to tell the difference, however, its to examine the rabbit's skull structure or to test them genetically. For your average observer, though, the first method will probably suffice!

Originating in other parts of North America, settlers introduced the Eastern cottontail to new England before 1900. The Eastern cottontail uses many of the same resources and habitats as the New England - which is native to North America. The two species, therefore, have to compete for survival. As a result of this competition, the New England cottontail's numbers have been steadily declining as the Eastern variant's population explodes. Now, the Eastern cottontail is the most common rabbit in Massachusetts.

New England cottontails are reluctant to leave the cover of thickets and brush. Eastern cottontails, on the other hand, venture further into open spaces like yards and parks. This opens new food supplies and lessens the impact of habitat loss.

The favorite foods of New England cottontails grow on forest floors (goldenrod, chickweed, buttercups, wild strawberries, etc.), and in the winter they eat bark and twigs to get by. Dense forests block out the sun and prevent vegetation growth, though. Massachusetts's forests are getting older, and so food for these cottontails is becoming scarce.

Both species are incredibly important for the ecosystem, as they provide a food source for many predators (e.g. foxes, minks, raccoons, snakes, birds of prey, etc.). They are active year round, and do not hibernate. Mostly silent, they are known to let out a high-pitched scream when caught by a predator to startle it and alert other nearby rabbits.