“Peter Hears a Noise” - Eastern Cottontail (Sylvillagus floridanus)

Conservation Status: Stable. The eastern cottontail has speckled brown-gray fur above, reddish-brown fur around its neck and shoulders, and lighter fur around its nose and on its undersides. It has big eyes and a tail that is puffy white on the underside. In the winter its fur may be more gray than brown. The eastern cottontail is solitary and very territorial. It is mostly nocturnal, but it sometimes will come out in the early morning and at dusk and sometimes during the day on dark days. The eastern cottontail can leap distances of between 10 and 15 feet. It will sometimes stand on its hind feet to watch for predators like coyotes, foxes, weasels, eagles, and hawks. When a predator is chasing it, the eastern cottontail will often leap from side to side to break its scent trail. It can run at speeds of up to 15 miles an hour.