Sylvilagus floridanus, eastern cottontail

The cottontail is typically a species of the eastern deciduous forest, but its distribution is not limited to that habitat. It will reside in a wide variety or areas where adequate shelter and food may be obtained. The cottontail is an herbivore, dining on tender shoots of young trees, a wide variety of herbaceous material, and low hanging leaves of shrubs. During the winter, when the food supply of fresh green plant material has dwindled, the cottontail will seek sustenance from the bark of fallen tree limbs. Because this animal is a source of food for hawks, coyotes, fox, weasels, and owls, its reproduction rate is frequent with many offspring. Low, dense vegetation and brush piles offer shelter from predators and serve as nesting sites to rear the young. Drinking water is not essential to the diet, for the cottontail obtains sufficient water from the consumption of plant material.