Eastern cottontail facts for kids
The Eastern cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus) is a super common type of rabbit found all over North America. It's part of a group called "cottontail rabbits" because of its fluffy, white tail that looks like a cotton ball! These rabbits are members of the Leporidae family, which includes all rabbits and hares.
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Where Do Eastern Cottontails Live?
Eastern cottontails are found in many different places across North America. You can spot them from southern Canada all the way down to Central America. They love areas where there's a mix of open spaces and places to hide. This includes fields, meadows, gardens, and even parks. They often live near the edges of forests or in bushy areas.
What Do They Eat?
Eastern cottontails are herbivores, which means they only eat plants. Their diet changes with the seasons.
Summer and Spring Diet
In warmer months, they munch on fresh green plants. This includes grasses, clover, dandelions, and other leafy plants. They also enjoy vegetables from gardens, which is why they sometimes visit backyards!
Winter Diet
When it's cold and snowy, fresh plants are harder to find. Eastern cottontails switch to eating twigs, bark, and dried grasses. They might even nibble on the bark of young trees and shrubs.
How Do They Live?
Eastern cottontails are usually most active at dawn and dusk. This is when they come out to find food. During the day, they often rest in shallow dips in the ground called "forms." These forms are usually hidden in tall grass or under bushes.
Staying Safe
Rabbits have many predators, like foxes, coyotes, hawks, and owls. To stay safe, they rely on their excellent hearing and sense of smell. If a predator gets too close, they can run very fast in a zig-zag pattern. This makes it hard for predators to catch them. They also freeze in place to blend in with their surroundings.
Baby Rabbits (Kits)
Female Eastern cottontails can have several litters of babies each year. A litter usually has between one and eight babies, called "kits."
Nests
Mothers build a special nest for their kits. They dig a shallow hole in the ground and line it with soft grass and fur pulled from their own bodies. This keeps the babies warm and hidden.
Growing Up
Kits are born blind and without fur. They are very tiny and helpless at first. The mother only visits the nest a few times a day to feed them. This helps keep the nest hidden from predators. Kits grow very quickly! They are ready to leave the nest when they are about two to three weeks old. By then, they have fur and can see.
Images for kids
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In nest, under production
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Litter and nesting material
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Three-week-old kit
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Juvenile, unknown age, showing white blaze on forehead
See also
In Spanish: Conejo de Florida para niños
