Desert Cottontail
Sylvilagus
audubonii
Description
Buff-brown above; white below. Nape
bright rust. Moderately long ears, sparsely furred inside. L 13
3/4–16 1/2" (350–420 mm); T 1 3/4–2 7/8" (46–74 mm); HF 3–3 7/8"
(75–100 mm); E 2 1/8–2 3/4" (55–70 mm); Wt 1 3/4–2 3/4 lb (835–
1,191 g).
Similar Species
Mountain Cottontail usually has
slightly shorter ears. Brush Rabbit is smaller, with shorter tail
and hindlegs. Pygmy Rabbit is much smaller, with tail gray above and
below. Eastern Cottontail is often larger, and has proportionally
shorter ears.
Breeding
At least 2 litters per year, born
year-round; 1–6 young (average 3) per litter.
Habitat
Grasslands to creosote brush and
deserts.
Range
California to Texas, north to e Montana and
sw North Dakota.
Discussion
Unlike most cottontails, this species
seldom uses forms. In areas of sparse vegetation, it occasionally
rests in the burrows of other animals, such as prairie dogs or
skunks. It readily climbs sloping trees, and is thought to use logs
and stumps as lookout posts after dark. The home range of the Desert
Cottontail extends up to 15 acres (37 ha) for males and 9 acres (22
ha) for females. Its running speed has been timed at 15 mph (25
km/h). Grasses, mesquite, other green plants, cacti, bark, and twigs
are its chief foods. The young of this species are born in a
fur-lined depression.
