Rabbits & Hares – Chickens of the Predator World

Lagomorphs include hares, rabbits, and pikas. For this post, we’re concentrating on the first two, commonly seen in Nevada County. Hares and rabbits are fast-food for predators; coyote, fox, badgers, bobcat, hawks, owls, snakes, mountain lion, and squirrels. Dogs, cats, and humans hunt them too.

If you’re a top item on the predator menu, you develop and learn survival skills.

Similarities between Rabbits & Hares

Lagomorphs generally remain hidden for most daylight hours. Large ears with acute hearing and big eyes with 360° peripheral vision reduce being caught off guard.

Eyes and ears made for being ever watchful.

Both consume about a pound of grass per day and most of their water intake comes from dew.

Rabbits and hairs get most of their water from morning dew.

Hares and rabbits are thermoregulators. They conserve moisture by staying in the shade, stretching out, panting, and slowing metabolism. Large ear surfaces help cool the blood so it can lower body temperature. When it’s windy, they stay in hiding because the wind interferes with hearing.

Incisors grow throughout life.

Rabbits and Hares have four incisors, unlike rodents who have only two. Incisors grow continuously throughout life and must be kept in check by constant chewing.

Cellulose (in grass) is difficult to digest, so they do it twice by eating their own poop. A certain amount of ground food is diverted to a blind-ended pouch, the caecum. Once in the caecum, it’s mixed with micro-organisms, yeast, and bacteria that break the cellulose down into sugar.  This is known as hindgut fermentation. About four to eight hours after a meal (after dry pellets are excreted) a second set of soft, moist droppings are produced, cecotropes. These are eaten immediately to absorb the nutrients.

Defense Behavior

Thumping – warning

Ear flapping during the chase to distract predators.

Running, zig zagging and hiding.

Differences between Rabbits & Hares

Size
Rabbits – 1.5 – 2.5 lb. (full grown)
Hares – 4.5 – 14 lbs (full grown)

Physical Differences
Rabbits – short legs and ears
Hares – long legs and ears

Lifespan
Rabbits – about 3 years
Hares – 6-7 years

Nests, Gestation & Young
Rabbits – uses burrows dug by other animals for nesting, lines it with grass and fur
22-28 day gestation |5 litters per year | 1 – 7 kittens

Hares – creates a nest from shallow depressions under bushes
41 -47 day gestation |3 -4 litters per year | 3 – 4 young (leverets)

Birth & Nursing
Rabbits are born hairless & closed eyes (altricial). Young are nursed for about a month.
Hares are born with full hair & open eyes (precocial). Young are nursed for only 2-3 days.

Social
Rabbits are social. They huddle for security, perform group grooming to build relationships and prefer to remain in brambles and bushes.
Hares are solitary (except when mating) and prefers open spaces.

Eating Times
Rabbits – early morning & evening
Hares – nocturnal

Cottontail Rabbit

Mountain Cottontail, left. Desert Cottontail, right.

Range – California, and Oregon

https://youtu.be/eL4c1cCrmW4

 

Jackrabbits [Hares]

Pioneers coming out west called them ‘jackass-rabbits’ which was shortened to jackrabbit.  Though the name has ‘rabbit’ in it, these animals are hares.

Black-tailed Jackrabbit, left. Snowshoe Hare, center. White-tailed Jackrabbit, right.

When courting, Jackrabbits chase each other, playing hard to get. Boxing matches (teasing) are a sign of affection.

 

click image to see more Life on the Creek, Jackrabbit, and Cottontail art

 

If you liked this post, you may also like North American Beaver – Water Banker.

Resources:

Taxonomy of Rabbits and Hares 0:28 – 2:15

 

Bioone.org – Ear Flashing Behavior in Black-tailed Jackrabbits

Canadian Journal of Zoology

California Department of Fish and Wildlife – Rabbits and Hares

Hoppingtonpost.com

Kahn Academy – Predatory-prey cycles

McGill Office for Science and Society – Rabbits Eat Their Own Poop

Wikipedia – Desert cottontail

Wikipedia – Lagomorpha – Hares & rabbits 

Wikipedia – Mountain Cottontail

Singing Coyote – the Ultimate Adapter

Coyote is the Most Vocal North American Land Mammal

Canis latrans, the coyote’s scientific name, means ‘barking dog.’

Between 11-13 vocalization have been identified. Wildlife biologists have categorized several sound types;

Combative & alarm – barks, woofs, growls, huffs, bark howls, yelps, and high-pitched whimpers

The lone howl, the most recognized coyote vocalization, is thought to be a proclamation by an individual coyote separated from its pack.

Contact & Greeting – ‘Wow-oo-wow’ appears to be a “greeting song” when two or more pack members reunite. Group yips are thought to be a response to the lone howl.

The coyote is North America’s oldest indigenous species

Originating near Yellowstone three million years ago, this medium-sized canine is extremely adaptable and intelligent. They’ve settled into every wild, rural and urban corner of the North American continent.

Unlike other species that were extinguished by eradication efforts, Coyotes create replacement populations when their numbers are reduced.

Coyote experts suggest that it’s easier to train coyotes and people to coexist rather than launching hunting campaigns. Killing coyotes opens more territory for roaming individuals to claim.

Breeding

Breeding season is February through March. Coyotes are monogamous and mate for life.

In spring, newly mated couples claim territories and set-up dens. Den establishment may be cleaning out a previously used space or taking over an abandoned skunk, badger, or marmot holes.

A pregnancy lasts about two months. Litters range be between 3 – 12 pups. Litter size is determined by the number of other coyotes in the territory and the availability of food.

Once the cubs are born, the male and other pack members help feed, raise and protect them. Pups remain with the parents somewhere between six months to one year.

The Pack & Social Behavior

A family unit contains a reproductive female and her mate. Nonreproductive females, bachelor males, and other young adults may join the pack in the winter for companionship, but this is usually temporary.

Hunting coyotes can be singular or work in groups. At times pairs and small packs will form to take large prey such as deer, cow, sheep, or large domestic dog. (The ever-unpredictable coyote may also initiate play behavior with large pet dogs.)

Occasionally, coyotes will form interspecies relationships. Coyotes have been observed working in tandem with American badgers while rodent hunting. A badger has been seen allowing head snuggles and face licking from a coyote.

Aggressive coyote behavior most closely matches fox behavior.

Hybridization (CoyDog)

While not common, coyotes have been known to breed with dogs when there is no other alternative.

Statistics & Threats

Males = 18 – 44 lbs
Females = 15 – 40 lbs

Life span 6-8 years.

Humans pose the biggest threat to coyotes. In rural farming areas, most coyote deaths are caused by hunting and trapping. In urban environments, the majority of coyote deaths are caused by automobiles.

Versatile Diet

90% of a coyote’s diet consists of meat, but a coyote will eat almost anything, often experimenting with previously unknown items.

Prey species;
  • rabbits
  • sheep
  • rodents
  • squirrels
  • birds
  • frogs
  • lizards
  • snakes (Rattlesnakes! Coyotes tease the snake to uncoil, then bites the head and shakes.)
  • fish
  • crayfish
  • insects
  • grubs
  • worms
  • black bear cubs (unusual)
  • also scavenges large animal carcasses
Wild Areas

In wild areas, coyotes may compete with bobcats and mountain lions for mule deer.

Scavenging in Rural & Urban Areas

If fresh meat is not available, coyotes will scavenge for;

  • berries
  • pears
  • figs
  • strawberries
  • elderberry
  • avocado
  • peaches
  • apples
  • persimmons
  • watermelons
  • cantaloupes
  • carrots
  • corn
  • dropped fruit under fruit trees
  • garden produce

Winter Food Sources

In winter they will also eat;

  • grasses
  • grains
  • other animal droppings

Cities and Populated Areas

In urban areas, a coyote diet can consist of;

  • dog and cat food
  • cats
  • feral cat populations
  • bird seed at feeding stations
  • small dogs
  • large dogs (sometimes), with several coyotes working as a team

Coyote Hazing

Coyotes in cities should be wary of humans.

It’s up to people to reinforce the coyote’s fear

Hazing will help maintain healthy boundaries for all.

Hazing methods;

  • throwing rocks
  • waving arms
  • shouting
  • blowing an air horn
  • spraying it with a water hose
  • or acting aggressively
  • looking at it directly in the eye
  • make yourself look larger
  • motion sensitive outdoor lighting may discourage coyotes

Guard Animals

In areas where livestock is at risk, some ranchers and farmers have found that llamas, donkeys, and dogs bred for guarding aid as coyote deterrents. (See University of California – How to Manage Pests link below for details.)

Identifying Problem Behavior

  • Increased numbers of coyotes on streets and in yards
  • Hunting pets in the daytime
  • Coyotes seen in playgrounds or parks during the day
  • Coyotes approaching people during the daytime and/or behaving with aggression
  • Chasing joggers, bicyclists or other outdoor enthusiasts
  • Attacking pets while the pet is on a leash

When a Coyote Becomes a Safety Hazard

A coyote becomes a public safety hazard when it no longer fears humans and behaves with aggression.

Coyotes that bite humans have usually been fed by humans

In 2017, the USDA Animal and Plant Inspection Service killed 3,199 coyotes in California.

If a coyote has developed bad behavior, a predator removal professional must be called (it is illegal to shoot firearms in populated areas). Coyote relocation is not an option, the animal is killed. Nevada County’s Federal Trapper can be reached at 530-470-2690 during office hours.

Coexisting

With their ability to predict outcomes, make changes, communicate, quickly identify new food sources and understand human behavior, it’s easy to see why the coyote is an evolutionary success story.

In Nevada County, and along Deer Creek, it’s important to realize that coyotes are always watching. Just like discouraging bad bear behavior, residents must be vigilant about keeping food and water sources at a minimum. It’s also wise to mindful about creating situations where small pets and farm animals may become prey.

If humans do their part by keeping coyotes wary, the two species can coexist peacefully. Haunting coyote song will serenade us at night and they’ll keep our rodents, insects and rattlesnakes in check.

click on image to see more Life on the Creek art

If you liked this post, you may also enjoy Bobcat – Susceptible to Rat Poison or Turkey Vulture – Carion Cleaner.

Resources:

Coyote Hazing – Keeping Humans and Coyotes on good terms

Coyote Myths vs. Facts

 

Dens

Resident vs. Transient Coyote

Savvy or Silly

Hero or Pest

Dog vs. Coyote

The Shapeshifter – Documentary

ABC 11 Eyewitness News – Coyote Stuck for 20 Miles in Woman’s Car Grill

HubPages – Difference Between Dog, Wolf, Jackal, Coyote, and Fo

Humane Society Wildlife Land Trust – How to identify Coyote Tracks

LiveScience – Coyote Facts

Nevada County  – Wildlife Services & Information  

University of California Agriculture & Natural Resources – How to Manage Pests of Homes, Structures, and Pets – Coyote

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service – Spotted! A Coyote and Badger Hunting Together

USDA – 2017 California Animals Killed Report

USDA – Coyote Wildlife Damage [PDF]

USDA – Living with Wildlife – Coyotes [PDF]

Wikipedia – Coyote

 

Nevada County Federal Trapper –  530-470-2690

 

 

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