Snowshoe Hare (Lepus americanus) © Robert Potts - CA Academy of Sciences, all rights reserved Photo by D. Gordon E. Robertson (CC) Size: MEDIUM…but relatively LARGE hind feet! Fur: dark brown, or white in winter! Ears: SHORT Tail: SMALL, white to GRAYISH-BROWN Habitat: mountainous forests and thickets, especially near riparian habitat and meadows Distribution in CA: UNCOMMON in the upper elevations of the Klamath and Cascade Mtns. south through the Sierra Nevada to Mariposa, Mono, and Madera counties Brush Rabbit (Sylvilagus bachmani) © photo by Kim Cabrera, all rights reserved Size: SMALLEST common rabbit…with SMALL feet! Fur: brown Ears: SHORT Tail: SMALL, underside is GRAY Habitat: Chaparral or thick brush Distribution in CA: ABUNDANT throughout west of the Sierra Nevada Mtns. Mountain Cottontail Rabbit/Nuttall’s Cottontail (Sylvilagus nuttallii) photo by Justin Wilde - Hanford, Washington Size: SMALL Fur: brownish-grayish; white underside Ears: SHORT Tail: WHITE and COTTON-LIKE Habitat: thickets, loose rocks and cliffs, and brushy areas with sagebrush Distribution in CA: COMMON on the eastern slopes of the Sierra Nevada and Cascade Mtns. south through Inyo county Black-tailed Jackrabbit (Lepus californicus) Photo by Jim Harper (CC) Size: LARGE Fur: grayish-brown; black streak on top of tail Ears: LONG, BLACK-tipped Tail: BLACK on top Habitat: open prairies, and sparsely-vegetated shrublands and semi-arid deserts; sometimes forests Distribution in CA: COMMON throughout, except at the highest elevations White-tailed Jackrabbit (Lepus townsendii) Photo by Connormah (CC) (CC) Size: LARGE Size: LARGEST hare Fur: brownish-gray in summer, or whitish-pale gray in winter! Ears: VERY LONG, BLACK-tipped Tail: WHITE on top and below Habitat: open, grassy, or sagebrush-dominated plains; also subalpine conifer or alpine dwarf-shrub Distribution in CA: UNCOMMON to RARE on the crest and upper eastern slopes of the Sierra Nevada, south to Tulare and Inyo counties
©Robert Potts - CA Academy of Sciences, all rights reserved Snowshoe Hare (Lepus americanus), Photo by D. Gordon E. Robertson (CC)