Cottontail rabbits are common throughout New England and are well adapted to living near fields, bushy edges, and residential landscapes. These rabbits are most active at dawn and dusk and spend much of the day resting in shallow depressions called “forms” hidden in thick vegetation. When threatened they rely on camouflage and stillness, but can suddenly burst into fast zigzag runs reaching speeds of nearly 18 mph to escape predators. Their diet shifts seasonally from grasses and clover in warmer months to bark, twigs, and buds during winter, allowing them to survive year-round in changing environments.

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