Desert Cottontail
A Desert Cottontail (Sylvilagus audubonii), one of the most common rabbits in the Coachella Valley and surrounding desert and mountain foothill habitats.
Identification
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Appearance: The desert cottontail is named for its distinctive white, cotton-ball-like tail. Its fur is mottled gray-brown with lighter underparts, providing camouflage against desert soil and scrub. Large, upright ears help it detect predators and dissipate body heat.
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Size: Typically 12–17 inches long and weighing around 2–3 pounds.
Behavior & Ecology
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Activity: Primarily crepuscular (most active at dawn and dusk) but often seen during the day, especially in shaded areas.
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Diet: Herbivorous, feeding on grasses, forbs, cacti, and even twigs when food is scarce. They are important grazers, helping shape plant communities in desert ecosystems.
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Predators: Coyotes, bobcats, hawks, owls, and snakes prey heavily on them, making them a key food source in the desert food web.
Adaptations
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Ears: Their oversized ears help with thermoregulation, releasing excess heat in hot desert conditions.
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Behavioral Adaptation: They rely on stillness and camouflage when threatened, darting away in a zig-zag pattern only when danger gets too close.
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Reproduction: Very prolific breeders—females may raise several litters per year, with up to six young each, ensuring their survival despite heavy predation.
Habitat
Common in open desert scrub, washes, grasslands, and the edges of riparian areas. In the Coachella Valley, they are often seen along the edges of urban areas, golf courses, and gardens, where food and cover are abundant.
