Mammals Dawn & Dusk

White-tailed Jackrabbit

Lepus townsendii

iNaturalist Wikipedia

The White-tailed Jackrabbit is the heavyweight champion of the prairie, capable of outrunning predators with 40-mph sprints and 15-foot leaps. Witness this elusive speedster as it transitions from a summer coat of dusty brown to a winter coat of snowy white.

0 Sightings

0 Habitats

Quick Identification

straighten

Size

22–26 inches (56–66 cm) in length; 5.5–10 lbs (2.5–4.5 kg)

palette

Colors

Brownish-gray upperparts with a white belly; distinctive all-white tail; ears have black tips and white edges; winter coat turns white in northern latitudes.

visibility

Key Features

Oversized ears with black-fringed tips
Distinctive white tail, white on both top and bottom
Powerful hind legs significantly longer than front legs
Seasonal color change from grayish-brown to white in snowy regions

When You’ll See Them

schedule

Activity pattern Most active at dawn and dusk

brightness_5

Peak hours 7 PM - 10 PM and 4 AM - 6 AM

calendar_month

Season Year-round, with peak visibility during spring mating (March-June)

restaurant

Diet Strictly herbivorous; feeds on grasses, forbs, and crops like alfalfa in summer, transitioning to woody bark, twigs, and buds of shrubs during winter months.

park

Habitat Open grasslands, prairies, sagebrush plains, and suburban edges with large undeveloped lots or meadows.

Behavior

The White-tailed Jackrabbit is a master of high-speed evasion and stealth. Unlike many smaller rabbits, this species is a 'hare,' meaning it is larger, has longer ears, and its young are born fully furred with their eyes open. They are primarily solitary and spend their daylight hours resting in 'forms'—shallow depressions in the ground hidden by tall grass or brush. Their incredible camouflage allows them to remain motionless until a threat is nearly on top of them, at which point they burst into a zig-zagging sprint that can reach 40 miles per hour.

During the breeding season, their solitary nature shifts briefly. You might see groups of males engaged in 'boxing' matches or leaping over one another to impress a female. While they are naturally wary of humans, they have adapted well to suburban fringes and agricultural areas where food is plentiful, though they remain much more elusive than the common Eastern Cottontail.

photo_camera EverydayEarth exclusive

Camera Tips

To capture the best footage of a White-tailed Jackrabbit, position your camera low to the ground, ideally between 12 and 18 inches high. These hares tend to stick to the edges of open spaces, so look for game trails that run alongside fences or the transition zone where your lawn meets taller brush. Because they are quite large for a backyard visitor, avoid placing the camera too close to the trail; a distance of 6 to 10 feet will ensure you capture the entire animal rather than just a patch of fur.

Since they are most active during the low-light hours of dusk and dawn, a camera with a high-quality infrared sensor is essential. White-tailed Jackrabbits can be 'camera shy' if they detect the faint red glow of standard IR LEDs, so if you have a 'no-glow' or 'black IR' model, use it here. Set your camera to a fast trigger speed (0.3 seconds or less) and use a multi-shot burst mode. These animals move with sudden, powerful leaps, and a single-shot setting often results in a photo of a disappearing tail.

If you are trying to attract them to a specific spot, a small mineral or salt lick placed near a patch of clover is highly effective, especially in the heat of summer. In winter, they are often drawn to the fallen twigs of fruit trees or accessible shrubs. If you live in a northern area where they turn white in winter, try to angle your camera toward a dark backdrop like a dense hedge or a dark-colored shed. This provides the contrast needed for the camera's motion sensor to trigger effectively and makes the white-on-white image much clearer to see.

Similar Species

Species that look similar or are commonly confused with White-tailed Jackrabbit.

Black-tailed Jackrabbit

Features a black stripe on the top of the tail and slightly larger ears; does not turn white in winter.

Snowshoe Hare

Much smaller with shorter ears; prefers dense forest cover over open prairies; has significantly larger, 'furry' hind feet.

Mountain Cottontail

Smaller body size with much shorter ears and a puffier, cotton-like tail; lacks the black ear tips of the jackrabbit.

Browse all Mammals arrow_forward

Frequently Asked Questions

They are primarily crepuscular, meaning they are most active during the 'golden hours' of dawn and dusk. However, they are also frequently active throughout the night, especially during a full moon.

The best way to attract them is to provide open space with patches of tall grass for cover. They are drawn to clover, alfalfa, and dandelion. In winter, they may visit to nibble on the bark of fallen branches from apple or willow trees.

Their diet consists of various grasses, wildflowers, and agricultural crops in the summer. In the winter, they survive on the woody parts of plants, including sagebrush, rabbitbrush, and the bark of small trees.

Yes, but they require more space than typical rabbits. They are commonly found in suburban neighborhoods that border open prairies, golf courses, or large parks where they can easily flee from danger.

The easiest way is to look at the tail. The White-tailed Jackrabbit has a tail that is white on both the top and bottom, whereas the Black-tailed Jackrabbit has a distinctive black stripe running along the top of its tail. Additionally, the White-tailed species is usually larger and may turn white in the winter.

Record White-tailed Jackrabbit at your habitat

Connect a camera to start building your own species record — AI identifies every visitor automatically.

Join free Identify a photo