Rabbits (Lagomorpha)
The two living families of Lagomorpha are the Leporidae- Rabbits- and the Ochotonidae- Hares. The defining characteristic of lagomorphs is the presence of two pairs of incisor teeth in the upper jaw. Across the state, Alabama is home to four species of rabbit: Swamp Rabbits (Sylvilagus aquaticus), Marsh Rabbits (Sylvilagus palustris), Appalachian Cottontails (Sylvilagus obscurus), and Eastern Cottontails (Sylvilagus floridanus). Of those, only the Eastern Cottontail is common to the Columbiana area, and they are a very common sight within Harmon Park.
Eastern Cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus)
Observed in the Park
Adult cottontail rabbits normally weigh between two and four pounds. They are usually a reddish-brown color with a white under-side and have short, fluffy, white tails and long ears. The hind legs and feet are much longer than the front legs and feet. During the summer months they eat grasses, sedges, fruits, buds, sprouts, and other tender green vegetation, and they love to invade gardens for beans, lettuce, and other veggies. In the winter they forage for leaves, waste grains, grasses, forbs, bark and stems.