A pale cottontail of dry western country with longer ears than eastern cousins for heat dissipation. Often active at dusk and dawn to avoid desert heat.
§ Quick facts
§ Encyclopedia
The desert cottontail, also known as Audubon's cottontail, is a New World cottontail rabbit, and a member of the family Leporidae. Unlike the European rabbit, they do not form social burrow systems, but compared with some other leporids, they are extremely tolerant of other individuals in their vicinity.
Source: Wikipedia — Desert cottontail Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
§ Identification
Field marks. Medium-small rabbit with longer ears than eastern cottontails; warm brown back; white belly; white-fluffed tail.
Similar species. Eastern Cottontail (smaller ears). Mountain Cottontail (smaller body).
Voice. High-pitched scream when seized.
§ Diet & behavior
Diet. Grasses, cactus, forbs, twigs.
Behavior. Common cottontail of western deserts and brushy habitats. Active at dawn and dusk.
§ Range
Western US and Mexico in arid regions
§ Habitat
Deserts, grasslands, sagebrush, brushy washes
§ Threats
Habitat loss to development, vehicle strikes, secondary effects of rodenticide.
§ Conservation status
According to the IUCN Red List, the desert cottontail is currently classified as Least Concern.
§ What helps
Maintain brushy desert corners. Drive slowly at dusk. Skip rodenticides.
§ Further reading
- Wikipedia — Desert cottontail
- www.nwf.org — authoritative profile of Sylvilagus audubonii
- IUCN Red List · taxon 41295
- iNaturalist · taxon 43160
- GBIF occurrence records
- Encyclopedia of Life — Sylvilagus audubonii
§ Sources cited
- American Society of Mammalogists
- IUCN Red List 2016
