Jackrabbit or Cottontail? Meet the Rabbits of the Coachella Valley

A rabbit-shaped animal pauses beside the trail. The ears rise, the nose moves, and then it is gone. Was that a cottontail—or a jackrabbit?

Start with the whole animal. A Black-tailed Jackrabbit looks long and lean, with enormous ears. A Desert Cottontail looks more compact, often with a bright white tail. These two photographs from my archive make the difference easier to see.

Two photographs. Three clues.

Look at them side by side

Choose a feature below either photograph. Photos are not to scale.

Black-tailed Jackrabbit

Lepus californicus

Mark Miller

EarsBodyLegs

Very long ears, with dark tips. Their length stands out relative to the head.

Desert Cottontail

Sylvilagus audubonii

The Living Desert · Mark Miller

EarsBodyTail

Long ears, but much less exaggerated than the jackrabbit’s when compared with the head.

The quickest way to tell them apart

Ears first, proportions second, tail third. Black-tailed Jackrabbits have exceptionally long, black-tipped ears and a lean build carried on long rear legs. Desert Cottontails are smaller and more rounded, although their ears are still long compared with those of many other rabbits. [1] [2]

A white tail is a useful cottontail clue, but it is not a complete identification by itself. The Black-tailed Jackrabbit’s name refers to the dark upper surface of its tail; a different angle may show paler fur underneath. A seated animal can also hide its long legs. Give yourself more than one clue before deciding. [1] [2]

In my cottontail photograph, the tail is wonderfully clear against the darker body. In the jackrabbit photograph, the ear length does most of the teaching. Neither photograph needs to show every feature to help you recognize the animal.

Why a jackrabbit is actually a hare

The names can be confusing. The Black-tailed Jackrabbit is Lepus californicus, a hare. The Desert Cottontail is Sylvilagus audubonii, a rabbit. Both belong to the rabbit-and-hare family, Leporidae, within the order Lagomorpha. They are not rodents. [2]

Their young reveal an important difference. Cottontails are born with their eyes closed and little or no fur, sheltered in a nest. Young jackrabbits, called leverets, arrive furred and open-eyed, able to move soon after birth. That does not mean a young hare is independent or no longer needs its mother. [1] [2]

Two ways of living in the desert

A jackrabbit’s long ears do more than listen. Blood vessels in the ears help release excess body heat. Shade and activity during cooler hours also matter; those ears do not make the animal immune to desert heat. [1]

Desert Cottontails often stay close to brush and other cover. Black-tailed Jackrabbits are associated with more open ground, where long legs and speed help them escape. These are tendencies, not strict boundaries: you cannot identify the species from its location alone. [2] [3]

Both eat vegetation and are part of the food web that supports desert predators. A planted landscape can provide attractive food, while nearby shrubs offer shelter. That helps explain why rabbit encounters can happen at the edge of a garden as well as beside a trail. [3] [4]

Try your eye

Which animal is this?

Choose an answer and check the clues.

Photograph 1 of 2

Black-tailed JackrabbitDesert Cottontail

Choose the animal you think matches this photograph.

Read the answers without the quiz

Photograph 1 is the Desert Cottontail: compact body, shorter-looking ears and visible white tail. Photograph 2 is the Black-tailed Jackrabbit: exceptionally long, black-tipped ears and a leaner body.

On your next walk, pause before moving closer

Watch from where you are. Look at the ear-to-head proportions, the body shape and any visible tail. If the animal changes posture, you may get another clue without taking another step.

For photographs, use your longer lens and let the animal keep its escape route. Do not chase it into movement for a better view, approach a nest, or offer food. Keep dogs close and away from wildlife. For gardens, UC’s Integrated Pest Management guidance explains how physical barriers can protect vulnerable plants. [5]

Explore the Black-tailed Jackrabbit photo profile, the Desert Cottontail photo profile and the wider Coachella Valley wildlife collection. The photographs record individual encounters; they are not current sightings or guarantees of where an animal will appear.