Desert cottontail

Scientific name: Sylvilagus audubonii

How weight is recorded: Whole weight

Field notes

Appearance

Small cottontail with gray-brown to tan fur, white underparts, and a distinctive white-edged black tail. Ears are relatively long and thin; females are slightly larger than males.

Size and weight

Weight: 0.6–0.9 kg (males typically lighter); body length: 30–38 cm.

Habitat

Desert cottontails inhabit arid and semi-arid regions with sparse to moderate shrubby vegetation, creosote bush, and desert scrub. They occupy terrain from sea level to approximately 1,500 m elevation.

Distribution

Range spans the southwestern United States (California, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, Colorado) and northern Mexico. They prefer open to semi-open shrubland with scattered cover.

Diet

Desert cottontails browse on forbs, grasses, clover, and woody vegetation; in winter they rely more heavily on dried vegetation and woody browse.

Behaviour

Primarily crepuscular and nocturnal, most active at dawn and dusk. Generally solitary or found in loose associations; rely on speed and erratic bounding to evade predators rather than prolonged flight.

Hunting tips

Look for small round droppings clustered near vegetation and worn trails through creosote or brush. Hunt edges where open ground meets dense shrub cover, and work slowly through sparse cover during early morning or late evening. Move cautiously into wind through patches of low brush to flush rabbits from their forms.

Whole weight

This species is logged by whole weight — the animal weighed entire, as taken.

Where it is hunted

Listed as huntable in 1 country in Huntify.

United States

Names in other languages

These field notes are general species knowledge, not legal advice. Always check the current seasons, quotas and firearm rules where you hunt.