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Eastern Bunnies

© N. Lou Lyons

They are all back. March, spring, unpredictable weather and the familiar saying "in like a lion, out like a lamb." In the middle of all that there is green beer and the luck of the Irish. On March 20th spring officially arrives. For those who observe the religious holiday of Easter, March will go out like a lamb this year regardless of the weather. On the last day of the month many people will celebrate the resurrection of the Lamb of God. Also on March 31st. some families will encounter a visit from the Easter Bunny.

Bunny is derived from the old or Middle English root word "bun" and describes a rabbit, a young one in particular. Rabbits are small furry mammals that belong to the order Lagomorpha. If you happen upon a rabbit in the wilderness of Pennsylvania, it will definitely have come from the Leporidae family, and will usually be one of three different species of cottontails that inhabit the eastern United States.

Eastern Cottontails Silvilagus floridanus are the most abundant rabbit found here. Appalachian Cottontail Sylvilagus obscurus and New England Cottontail Sylvilagus transitionalis are similar in appearance to the Eastern, but each has differences in coloration unique to their species. Debate exists whether the latter two species should be classified as one species or two.

If you live in suburban areas and small towns and see a rabbit or two or three, usually these will be Eastern Cottontails. They prefer bushy undergrowth with mixed habitats. Outside suburbia, a little bit of analysis may be needed to determine which species is present. Physical differences can be too subtle for the average observer. The Appalachian and New England Cottontails are found more in wooded, mountainous areas with higher elevations but Eastern's may live there as well.

All three cottontail species found in Pennsylvania have brown fur and fairly long ears that give them excellent hearing ability. Full grown rabbits normally weigh several pounds. Rabbits hop because their hind legs grow longer than the front legs. Most memorable about these animals is their cottontail, a white ball of fur. Another delight is to watch them at dawn and dusk munching away at plant life.

Rabbits are herbivores; they eat plant material. Clover is a favorite. Food supplies vary between the seasons. In the winter a large amount of twigs and bark will be consumed. Rabbits build their nest on the ground in a small indentation within grass, brush or thickets. Although they do not usually live under the ground, they may use another animals burrow in the winter.