Usually seen at dusk and dawn, I was surprised when I started seeing one appear in my yard during daylight hours. One morning I saw 2 very large rabbits cavorting on the golf course! It wouldn’t be long before there would be baby bunnies, I mused.
I was right! Several weeks later, my landscaper discovered a group of 4 of them in a shallow ground nest, lined with the mother’s own fur, in a front yard flower bed. They were pretty old by then as their eyes were open and they were not happy about being discovered. We covered them up, and I waited for them to leave.
The mother continued to visit my garden during the day. The female eastern cottontail generally only nurses her young at dawn and dusk. But, she is always nearby, and keeps an eye on things. If you find a nest of baby rabbits, don’t assume they are orphans. Chances are, the mom is watching you!
There are typically 3-6 young in each litter. The baby rabbits develop quickly and are weaned and independent at 2-3 weeks of age, if they survive. Nest success is usually low. Only about one half of cottontails will survive long enough to leave the nest. Another half of those that leave the nest will perish before fall. The main causes of nest failure are predation and flooding.
But, the eastern cottontail is a very prolific species. High reproductive effort is needed to offset its low survival rate and low reproductive success. Females will usually mate and become pregnant immediately after giving birth. They may have 3-7 litters in a year. One male and one female eastern cottontail could multiply into 25 rabbits in less than a year! (Info from the VA Department of Game & Inland Fisheries)
After I week, when I didn’t see the female for 2 days, I checked the nest and it was empty. I saw a baby bunny scurry to cover in the shrubs of my next door neighbor’s yard. Good luck, little one, I prayed.
Yet, the rabbit story continues. I am certain that she has another nest close by as she still is visiting my garden and having a daily feast of herbs and flowers. She also enjoys a nice dessert of wild clover, courtesy of the golf course. I can usually count on seeing her everyday and she has given me dozens of photo opportunities and glimpses into her wild life. I will never forget my friend, the eastern cottontail.
