Wild rabbits, such as the widely distributed Eastern Cottontail, face significant challenges when winter arrives. Many people assume these small mammals hibernate, but this is a misunderstanding about their survival strategy. Wild rabbits remain active throughout the winter, relying on specific adaptations in their movement, diet, shelter use, and physiology to survive the harshest season. Their success in a cold environment depends on conserving energy while finding enough low-quality food to sustain their body temperature and activity levels.
Dispelling the Hibernation Myth: Winter Activity Levels
Rabbits are non-hibernators and stay active year-round. Their activity patterns change dramatically to prioritize energy conservation and predator avoidance. They become increasingly crepuscular and nocturnal, meaning they are most active during the twilight hours of dawn and dusk, and throughout the night. This shift minimizes exposure to both cold temperatures and daylight predators, such as hawks and coyotes. Overall movement is reduced, but cold weather can occasionally prompt them to forage during the day, taking short, calculated trips near their sanctuary.
Finding Sanctuary: Shelter and Cover
Rabbits rely on structures that offer insulation and protection from wind and predators. The Eastern Cottontail rarely digs its own extensive burrow, instead utilizing shallow depressions called “forms” for resting beneath dense vegetation when conditions are mild. When weather becomes severe, they seek more substantial cover, frequently moving into abandoned dens excavated by other animals. Dense brush piles, thickets, and low-lying shrubs offer a crucial windbreak and concealment. Snow itself can become a form of shelter, as rabbits may tunnel beneath the snowpack or use drifts to reduce their exposure to the coldest air above.
Sustaining Energy: Dietary Shifts
The wild rabbit’s diet shifts from lush, herbaceous plants to woody, lower-nutrient materials when snow covers the ground. This winter diet primarily consists of the bark of trees, small twigs, dormant buds, and dried grasses. They often target the bark of young saplings and fruit trees, providing necessary fiber and limited energy. To compensate for the low caloric density, rabbits must significantly increase the volume of food they consume and practice coprophagy, re-ingesting specialized nutrient-rich droppings called cecotropes. They may also dig through the snow to find remaining patches of green plants, acorns, or fallen fruits.
Staying Warm: Physiological Adaptations
Rabbits use physical and internal mechanisms to maintain core temperature. One of the most obvious adaptations is the growth of a thicker, denser winter coat, which provides an improved layer of insulation. This fur traps heat close to the body, minimizing heat loss to the cold environment. Internally, rabbits can adjust their metabolism in response to cold exposure. Studies show that they can achieve a 20% reduction in metabolic heat production over several weeks, suggesting an adaptive improvement in peripheral insulation to conserve energy. They also regulate blood flow to their extremities, such as their ears, which helps reduce heat loss. Behaviorally, huddling with other rabbits or remaining active by hopping around can help generate and maintain body heat.