Eastern cottontail
At dawn and dusk, this friendly neighbor emerges from his brush pile searching for a meal. In the warmth of spring and summer, the eastern cottontail searches for tender green vegetation. They’re not picky, consuming up to 100 different species of native and non-native plants. Plantain, ragweed, goldenrod, dandelion, grasses, and rushes are preferred.
In fall and winter, the once lush landscape turns bare. The bark, buds, and twigs of our native trees and shrubs become increasingly important during the lean winter months. Their preference is for red maple, staghorn sumac, blackberry, and red raspberry.
If you want to support the eastern cottontails in your yard, plant woody shrubs for cover and native vegetation and trees for year-round food.
Citation:
Chapman, Joseph A.; Hockman, J. Gregory; Edwards, William R. 1982. Cottontails: Sylvilagus floridanus and allies. In: Chapman, Joseph A.; Feldhamer, George A., eds. Wild mammals of North America. Baltimore, MD: The Johns Hopkins Univeristy Press: 83-123.