A cottontail rabbit darts across your backyard in Massachusetts, and you pause to wonder—is that the native New England species fighting for survival, or the introduced eastern cottontail that’s thrived across the region? New England hosts four distinct rabbit and hare species, each with unique characteristics, habitats, and conservation stories.
From the critically endangered New England cottontail clinging to fragmented thicket habitats to the snowshoe hare turning white each winter in northern forests, these lagomorphs shape local ecosystems while presenting fascinating identification challenges.
You’ll discover how to distinguish between nearly identical cottontail species, where to find each rabbit in the region, and why conservation efforts matter for preserving New England’s only native rabbit.
1. Eastern Cottontail
The eastern cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus) dominates rabbit sightings across New England today, though this species isn’t actually native to the region. Wildlife managers introduced eastern cottontails to New England during the early 1900s as a game species to supplement declining native rabbit populations. That introduction proved remarkably successful—perhaps too successful. Eastern cottontails now vastly outnumber their native cousin throughout the region, thriving in diverse habitats from suburban yards to agricultural lands.
You’ll recognize eastern cottontails by their classic rabbit appearance—grayish-brown fur flecked with black across the back and sides, pure white cottony tail, and medium build. Adults measure 14 to 19 inches in length and weigh between 2 to 4 pounds. About half of all eastern cottontails display a distinctive white spot on the forehead, which becomes a key identification feature when distinguishing them from New England cottontails. Their ears are proportionally longer than those of their native relatives and lack the black edging that characterizes New England cottontails.
Key Insight: Eastern cottontails have larger eyes and sharper vision than New England cottontails, allowing them to venture farther from protective cover while still spotting predators—a crucial adaptation for surviving in fragmented, human-dominated landscapes.
What makes eastern cottontails so successful in New England? Biologists attribute their dominance to remarkable adaptability. These rabbits thrive in a wide variety of habitats including open fields, woodland edges, suburban gardens, brushy hedgerows, and even urban parks. They can survive in much more fragmented habitat patches than New England cottontails require, making them better suited to modern landscapes shaped by human development. Research from state wildlife agencies indicates eastern cottontails don’t directly push out native species but simply survive in conditions that New England cottontails cannot tolerate.
Eastern cottontails are most active during dawn and dusk hours, though you might spot them feeding on moonlit nights. During daylight, they rest in shallow depressions called “forms” beneath bushes, in tall grass, or alongside structures. They don’t dig their own burrows but readily use existing cavities created by other animals. When threatened, they freeze motionless, relying on camouflage before bolting in zigzag patterns toward protective cover.
Their diet shifts seasonally to match available vegetation. Spring and summer months bring abundant grasses, clover, dandelions, and herbaceous plants that form the bulk of their diet. As cold weather arrives, they transition to browsing on bark, twigs, and buds of woody shrubs and small trees. Like all lagomorphs, eastern cottontails practice coprophagy—re-ingesting soft fecal pellets to extract maximum nutrition from plant material.
The breeding season extends from late February through September in New England, with females producing multiple litters annually. Each litter contains three to eight young, though five is typical. Females create simple nests—shallow depressions lined with grass and fur pulled from their own bodies, topped with leaves and twigs for concealment. Baby cottontails, called kits, are born blind and helpless, requiring about three weeks before they venture from nests independently.
According to conservation biologists, eastern cottontails and New England cottontails don’t interbreed despite their similar appearance. The two remain separate species, though they may compete for the same resources where their ranges overlap. Understanding this dynamic helps wildlife managers make informed decisions about habitat restoration efforts for the endangered native species.
2. New England Cottontail
The New England cottontail (Sylvilagus transitionalis) holds the distinction of being New England’s only native rabbit species, yet this “woods rabbit” faces an uncertain future. Once common throughout the region from southern Maine to southern New York, New England cottontail populations have plummeted by more than 75 percent since 1960. The species has vanished entirely from Vermont and now exists in only five fragmented populations across its historic range. This dramatic decline led to the species becoming a candidate for federal Endangered Species Act protection in 2006.
You’ll find identifying New England cottontails from eastern cottontails exceptionally challenging in the field. The two species appear nearly identical, with grayish-brown fur, white tails, and similar body sizes. However, subtle differences exist if you know what to look for. Most New England cottontails display a small black spot between their ears—a feature that roughly half of eastern cottontails lack. New England cottontails also have shorter ears with distinctive black fur rimming the leading edge, whereas eastern cottontails have longer ears without this black margin.
| Feature | New England Cottontail | Eastern Cottontail |
|---|---|---|
| Forehead Marking | Usually black spot | Often white spot (50%) |
| Ear Length | Shorter than head | Longer, more prominent |
| Ear Edging | Black rim on leading edge | No black edging |
| Body Size | Slightly smaller (15-17 inches) | Slightly larger (14-19 inches) |
| Habitat Preference | Dense thickets, young forest | Adaptable, open to fragmented |
| Skull Sutures | Jagged/interdigitated | Smooth lines |
Important Note: Visual identification alone cannot reliably distinguish these species. Scientists use DNA analysis of fecal pellets or examination of skull characteristics for definitive identification—the frontonasal skull sutures are jagged in New England cottontails but smooth in eastern cottontails.
This native rabbit is a true habitat specialist, requiring specific environmental conditions to survive. New England cottontails thrive in early successional forests—young woodlands typically less than 25 years old featuring dense understories of thick, tangled scrubland vegetation. They particularly favor areas with blueberry, mountain laurel, and other dense shrubs. Conservation experts note these rabbits are extremely reluctant to leave protective cover, rarely venturing more than 16 feet from shelter.
The species’ dramatic decline stems primarily from habitat loss. Before European settlement, natural disturbances like beaver activity, ice storms, hurricanes, and wildfires created the thicket habitats New England cottontails needed along river valleys. As forests matured into closed-canopy stands during the mid-20th century and the shrub layer thinned, suitable habitat disappeared. Modern development, forest maturation, and habitat fragmentation have further restricted available territory.
New England cottontails are most active during dawn, dusk, and nighttime hours. They spend days hidden in dense vegetation, emerging when light fades to forage on grasses and forbs during warmer months. Winter brings a dietary shift to bark, twigs, and buds of shrubs and young trees. Breeding occurs from March through September, with females producing two to three litters annually containing three to eight young each. Females create fur-lined nests in shallow depressions beneath protective vegetation.
A collaborative conservation effort spanning multiple states now works to save New England’s native rabbit. The New England Cottontail Conservation Initiative coordinates habitat restoration, captive breeding programs, and population monitoring across the species’ range. Roger Williams Park Zoo in Rhode Island maintains a successful breeding program, producing rabbits for reintroduction into restored habitats. State wildlife agencies actively seek landowner cooperation to create and enhance thicket habitats on both public and private lands.
Pro Tip: If you spot a cottontail in New England, report your sighting to your state wildlife agency. Citizen science observations help biologists map distributions and target conservation efforts effectively.
Current populations exist in fragmented areas across southern Maine (only six towns), coastal New Hampshire, eastern Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and New York’s Hudson Valley. These isolated populations face challenges from limited genetic diversity, disease vulnerability, and difficulty dispersing to find mates. Despite conservation efforts, the New England cottontail remains one of the region’s most imperiled mammals.
3. Snowshoe Hare
The snowshoe hare (Lepus americanus) brings a touch of Arctic adaptation to New England’s forests, standing out as the region’s only hare species and showcasing one of nature’s most remarkable seasonal transformations. Unlike true rabbits, snowshoe hares are born fully furred with eyes open and can hop within hours of birth—adaptations that suit the harsh environments where these animals thrive. You’ll find snowshoe hares primarily in northern New England, particularly throughout Maine, New Hampshire’s northern counties, and Vermont’s forested regions.
This medium-to-large lagomorph measures 13 to 18 inches in length and weighs 2 to 4 pounds, making it substantially larger than cottontails. The species gets its common name from distinctive oversized hind feet that measure up to 6 inches long. These massive feet spread wide, functioning like natural snowshoes that allow hares to bound across deep snow without sinking. During summer months, you’ll recognize snowshoe hares by their rusty-brown to grayish-brown coats that blend perfectly with forest floors and understory vegetation.
The snowshoe hare’s most striking feature appears with the changing seasons. Each autumn, these hares undergo a complete molt, transforming from brown summer pelage to brilliant white winter coats over a five-to-six-week period. Only the black ear tips remain dark throughout winter, creating a distinctive appearance against snowy landscapes. This color change provides excellent camouflage against winter’s white backdrop while the dense fur offers superior insulation. Spring brings another molt, reversing the process as white fur gives way to brown.
Common Mistake: Assuming the color change is triggered by snowfall—it’s actually controlled by seasonal changes in daylight length. This means snowshoe hares sometimes experience “color mismatch,” appearing white against brown, snowless landscapes during warm autumns or appearing brown when early snow arrives.
Snowshoe hares inhabit dense coniferous and mixed forests, showing particular preference for young forests, spruce thickets, alder swamps, and brushy clearcuts. They require thick understory vegetation that provides protection from numerous predators including Canada lynx, coyotes, foxes, bobcats, and various raptors. Maine’s Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife notes these hares favor dense conifer growth but also occur in deciduous areas with sufficient cover.
These hares are primarily nocturnal, spending daylight hours resting in dense thickets. When approached, they remain motionless until threats pass very close, then explode from cover in rapid, bounding escape runs. Their powerful hind legs propel them at speeds exceeding 27 miles per hour through dense vegetation. Unlike cottontails that create nests for young, female snowshoe hares give birth in simple depressions on the ground, with precocial leverets capable of independent movement within a day.
Diet varies seasonally based on available resources. Spring through fall brings abundant green vegetation—grasses, dandelions, clover, and new growth on woody plants. Winter forces a complete dietary shift to small woody twigs and bark from species including gray birch, red maple, apple, aspen, and various cherry species. They also consume shrubs and vines like blackberry, willow, and high-bush blueberry when accessible.
Snowshoe hare populations experience dramatic cyclical fluctuations approximately every decade, with numbers sometimes crashing due to disease, predation pressure, or food shortages. Climate change poses an emerging threat, as warming temperatures lead to more snowless days while hares remain in white coats—a dangerous visibility problem that increases predation. Research indicates some northern populations are already experiencing climate-related declines.
Breeding extends from March through late summer in New England, with females capable of producing up to four litters annually. Litters contain one to nine young, though four to six is typical. Leverets weigh about 2.5 ounces at birth and nurse for 25 to 28 days while beginning to feed on vegetation after 10 to 12 days. This remarkable reproductive capacity helps offset high mortality rates—juveniles face 75 to 95 percent annual mortality, while adults experience 66 to 81 percent mortality.
4. Appalachian Cottontail
The Appalachian cottontail (Sylvilagus obscurus) represents New England’s rarest and most enigmatic rabbit species, existing at the northern edge of its range primarily in southwestern portions of the region. This mountain specialist wasn’t even recognized as a separate species until 1992, when researchers studying chromosomes and skull characteristics discovered it was distinct from the New England cottontail. For decades, biologists had lumped these two species together, unaware they were studying two different animals.
Identifying Appalachian cottontails presents exceptional challenges because they appear virtually identical to New England cottontails in external appearance. Both species display grayish-brown fur with black flecking, similar body proportions, and that characteristic small black spot between the ears. The geographic separation provides the most reliable field identification method—cottontails found south or west of the Hudson River in New York are considered Appalachian cottontails, while those north and east of the Hudson are New England cottontails.
Scientists distinguish the two species through detailed examination of skull characteristics and chromosome counts. Appalachian cottontails possess 46 diploid chromosomes compared to the New England cottontail’s 52. Skull differences include the shape and pattern of the frontonasal sutures and subtle variations in bone structure. DNA analysis of tissue or fecal samples provides definitive species identification, though such testing remains impractical for casual field observations.
Appalachian cottontails inhabit mountainous regions from Pennsylvania south to the Carolinas, with New England populations limited to extreme southwestern areas—primarily southwestern Connecticut and possibly adjacent portions of New York. These rabbits favor higher elevation habitats including mountain slopes, mature forests with dense understory, and areas with mountain laurel and rhododendron thickets. Research from Virginia wildlife officials indicates they thrive in clearcuts that are 5 to 10 years old, where regenerating vegetation creates ideal cover.
Like their New England relatives, Appalachian cottontails are habitat specialists requiring dense vegetative cover. They’re most active during dawn and dusk, spending daylight hours sheltered under logs, in existing burrows, or beneath dense shrubs. These cottontails don’t hibernate, remaining active year-round even during harsh mountain winters. When threatened, they rely on freezing behavior and camouflage before fleeing to protective cover.
The diet mirrors that of other cottontail species, consisting primarily of grasses, forbs, and herbaceous plants during growing seasons. Winter brings a shift to woody browse including bark, twigs, and buds from various shrubs and small trees. Breeding extends from February through October, with females producing multiple litters annually. Gestation lasts approximately 28 days, with typical litters containing five to ten young born in fur-lined nests hidden beneath dense vegetation.
Key Insight: The Appalachian cottontail population in New England remains poorly studied and understood compared to other rabbit species. Limited research means basic information about distribution, population sizes, and habitat requirements in the region’s northern extent remains largely unknown.
Conservation status varies across the species’ range. In states like Alabama and Virginia where Appalachian cottontails exist at range extremes, the species is considered rare and of conservation concern. The primary threats mirror those facing New England cottontails—habitat loss through development and forest maturation, habitat fragmentation, and competition with more adaptable eastern cottontails. However, hunting pressure doesn’t significantly threaten these rabbits since they inhabit forested mountain terrain where intensive rabbit hunting rarely occurs.
The Appalachian cottontail’s lifespan is notably short, typically less than one year in the wild due to heavy predation from hawks, owls, foxes, coyotes, bobcats, and other predators. This short lifespan is offset by tremendous reproductive potential, with females entering estrus immediately after giving birth, allowing rapid population recovery when conditions permit. Despite this reproductive capacity, fragmented mountain habitats and limited dispersal corridors constrain population growth and genetic exchange.
New England’s four rabbit species showcase remarkable diversity in adaptation, conservation status, and regional distribution. From the widespread but non-native eastern cottontail thriving in suburban landscapes to the critically endangered New England cottontail clinging to fragmented thickets, each species tells a unique ecological story.
The snowshoe hare’s dramatic seasonal transformation reminds us of nature’s ingenuity, while the secretive Appalachian cottontail demonstrates how much remains unknown about even familiar wildlife.
When you encounter rabbits in New England, take a moment to observe the details—that black spot between the ears, the ear edging, the habitat type.
Your observations contribute to understanding these fascinating lagomorphs and supporting conservation efforts that ensure native species survive for future generations to appreciate and protect.
