Hares are brownish gray with a white belly. Rabbits are born helpless; they are without fur and are blind. An exception is the cottontail rabbit, which mostly lives aboveground in nests. Let’s move on to their differences, since they aren’t the same species. The European Hare can run as fast at 35mph, and the arctic hare capable of up to 37mph. The snowshoe hare, for instance, goes from a brown to a brilliant white come winter in order to provide camouflage appropriate to the season. While hares live singly or in very loose groups, rabbits live in colonies of several dozen animals with strict hierarchies and social groups within the colony. While both rabbits and hares molt (shed their coat), when it comes to hares they generally have much more dramatic seasonal color changes than rabbits. Rabbit vs Hare, Rabbit Meat Poisoning, Three-Rabits Motif, Cuniculture. The team head outside to check-out a family of bunnies. The whitetail jackrabbit is the largest hare in the Great Plains, having a head and body length of 18 to 22 inches (46 to 56 cm) and weighing 5 to 10 pounds (2.2 to 4.5 kg). They thump on the ground to alert danger. There are several differences in the physical features of hares and rabbits that allow us to distinguish between the two. Rabbits are small mammals in the family Leporidae of the order Lagomorpha (along with the hare and the pika). The whitetail jackrabbit is the largest hare in the Great Plains, having a head and body length of 18 to 22 inches (46 to 56 cm) and weighing 5 to 10 pounds (2.2 to 4.5 kg). A Hare’s back (hind) legs are slightly larger. < >. Rabbits have 44 chromosomes, while members of the hare genus Lepus have 48 chromosomes. Being stronger and larger than rabbits, the hare is very quick and that comes in handy given their natural habitat is large open prairies and meadows. This is probably why people have taken to domesticating rabbits and not hares.Compared with hares, rabbits are generally physically smaller. However, there are a few differences between hares and Jackrabbits as their family, genus make them slightly distinguishable. Date: 2010-01-20. Rabbits and hares are different species, but they share several important characteristics and are still part of the same order of mammal (Lagomorpha). They may look similar, but they are separate species with differences in behavior and range. Firstly, these are two very different animals. So, how do we actually tell the difference between the two groups? You will notice that the rabbit and the hare have long ears, strong hindquarters for hopping, long front teeth, and a second set of incisors. Both rabbits and hares are in the family Laporidae and the order lagamorpha, so the two share a lot of similarities, but they represent different Genus and Species. Hare or Rabbit? By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. What are the similarities between rabbits and hares? However, everything that meets the eye is not true in this case, and that's what you need to understand if you are to differentiate between them. Rabbits (or, colloquially, bunnies) are small mammals in the family Leporidae of the order Lagomorpha, found in several parts of the world. The newborn hares are covered with a full coat of fur. When it comes to who would win a Hare vs Rabbit race, the hare would be a clear winner. Last updated: 2011-10-23. Young hares, called leverets, are born with fur and open eyes at birth. Rabbits generally live underground in burrows or warrens. Male rabbits even fight within a group to become the dominant male. Appearance: Hares have black markings on their fur. So it wasn't a rabbit which lost that race, but a Hare. The entire tail is white. Rabbits, on the other hand, are born hairless and blind. Even if you bottlefeed the Hare from day one of its birth, they would be stressed out in your presence. They are swifter than the rabbits too. But, hares are larger than rabbits. Rabbit Vs Bunny - Are They The Same? Rabbits and hares both belong to the same order, Lagomorpha and the same family, Leporidae. Jackrabbits, for instance, are actually hares, whereas the rockhares and the hispid hare are rabbits. These warrens can be complex networks of tunnels generally built by the momma rabbit. Generally speaking, you can expect a rabbit in the wild to live for about 6-years. This comparison lists several important differences between rabbits and hares in their physical features, lifestyle, habitat and behavior. Newborn Hare (bottom) Hares, on the other hand, prefer to live alone, coming together only to mate (with little contention among males over mating rights), and usually make their homes in nests among tall grasses rather than dig a burrow. A Hare has a split lip .... thus the expression a person has a "Hare Lip". Hares, on the other hand, are born capable of independent movement, have fur, and have vision. But they are separate species with varying physical and personality-based traits. Every body loves the cute and small animals. The entire tail is white. Hares live completely above ground and, by that logic, so would Bugs Bunny. Sometimes even experienced watchers may be unsure of what they see if they only get a quick glimpse. They feed at night and at dawn. Bunny vs Rabbit vs Hare: Fight Comparison. Unlike the related hares (Lepus spp. Hares, on the other hand, are born capable of independent movement, have fur, and have vision. 4. But they are separate species with varying physical and personality-based traits. These warrens can be complex networks of tunnels generally built by the momma rabbit. Rabbit's eyes are positioned on the sides, so they can cover larger areas. Both jack rabbits and hares look different and can be spotted a mile off. Rabbit vs Hare is a cute comparison, yet this article intends to identify the differences. They make holes in the ground by burrowing, and they live in there with their little ones. Unlike the hare, which lives solitarily or in pairs, the rabbit lives in groups, making it a much more social creature. He serves currently as the editor of Earth and life sciences, covering climatology, geology, zoology, and other topics that relate to... Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. Newborn rabbits are called kittens while newly born hares are called leverets. The Speed Test If you are as ancient as i am, you probably have heard the story about the rabbit and the turtle that did the race and the turtle ended up beating the fast rabbit. They may look similar, but they are separate species with differences in behavior and range. Edit or create new comparisons in your area of expertise. Although rabbits and hares are valued as game by hunters both for their food and fur, they are also pests to farmers and gardeners. Hares breed from late January to August. A Hare’s ears are larger with distinct black tips. Rabbit vs Hare, Rabbit Meat Poisoning, Three-Rabits Motif, Cuniculture. Its ears have a black tip. Hares and jackrabbits are leporids belonging to the genus Lepus.Hares are classified in the same family as rabbits.They are similar in size and form to rabbits and have similar herbivorous diets, but generally have longer ears and live solitarily or in pairs. In this article we will explore the various differences between rabbit vs bunny vs hare and give you a detailed comparison into all aspects of these animals as well as finding out what makes them unique. These two terms are often used interchangeably to describe the same animal. Cooking Rabbit vs Hare. Hares have large, long ears, long legs, and a larger body than rabbits. Both animals have long ears, powerful back legs, and a divided upper lip. They are born without fur and with closed eyes after a gestation period of 30–31 days. Rabbit vs Hare. As nouns the difference between hare and jackrabbit is that hare is any of several plant-eating animals of the family leporidae, especially of the genus lepus , similar to a rabbit, but larger and with longer ears while jackrabbit is any of several large north american hares of the genus lepus . Hares are larger and faster than rabbits. your own Pins on Pinterest https://www.recipetips.com/glossary-term/t--33962/rabbit-and-hare.asp Some animals may be used for laboratory experiments or as an entrée. Date: 2010-01-20. The dominant male rabbit then mates with most of the females in the. 5 Mar 2021. Hares have not been domesticated, while rabbits are often kept as house pets. Separating the two can be done by looking at the differences in size, life history, and preferred habitat. Rabbit Vs Hare. Hare and rabbits are hunted for food and sport by man. Rabbit vs. hare babies are also slightly different. Hare vs. Rabbit both are difference from each others. They prefer habitats composed of trees and shrubs, where they live in burrows dug into the soil. The primary difference is that the rabbit or bunny can be domesticated, whereas Hare cannot. Both are small herbivorous mammals that usually feed on grass and plants and are wild relatives of rabbits. Both jack rabbits and hares look different and can be spotted a mile off. The main difference between hares and rabbits is that hares are taller, skinner with longer hind legs and ears. (Fig. By Xah Lee. Oct 6, 2013 - This Pin was discovered by Eleanor Hooper. While hares live singly or in very loose groups, rabbits live in colonies of several dozen animals with strict hierarchies and social groups within the colony. This really helped! Hare vs Rabbit – Which is Fastest. In general, rabbits are smaller and have shorter ears than hares. Rabbit and Bunny are are two name for the same animal, domestic rabbits. They are runners, preferring open-area habitats such as prairies, where they make their nests in small open depressions. Hares are entirely dark meat and do well with longer cooking time. What Is a Rabbit? 1. An exception is the cottontail rabbit, which mostly lives aboveground in nests. You will notice that the rabbit and the hare have long ears, strong hindquarters for hopping, long front teeth, and a second set of incisors. Hares have much larger ears and hind legs than rabbits. Thank you for posting this, it was very helpful! Hares are a lot larger than Rabbits and can weigh twice as much! In this article we will explore the various differences between rabbit vs bunny vs hare and give you a detailed comparison into all aspects of these animals as well as finding out what makes them unique. This is a huge contrast in the hare vs rabbit comparison considering that the former is precocial, meaning they have their fur and hair right from birth. In reality, rabbits and hares are different. They both have long ears, strong hindquarters, a divided upper lip, and basically, eat the same diet. Last updated: 2011-10-23. Hares are also larger, have longer ears, and are less social than rabbits. Bunny vs Rabbit vs Hare: Fight Comparison. there are a few identification tips which, once learnt, can almost always help you to correctly distinguish between hares and rabbits . Both are small herbivorous mammals that usually feed on grass and plants and are wild relatives of rabbits. Some animals may be pets or pests. However, he lives in a burrow like a rabbit, which makes his origin story more confusing than ever. Rabbits also burrow and build their nests underground, whereas hares build nests above ground. Newborn rabbits are called kittens while newly born hares are called leverets. The bro's want to find the Easter bunny, but disagree with which geographical area in the world would be the best to find this creature. The common names of some species also contribute to this confusion. Its ears have a black tip. Hares vs. rabbits is a game that most children play while enjoying the great outdoors. Furs of hares have black markings on them which is not there in case of rabbits. Hares and rabbits are both in the family Leporidae, but they’re separate species. The team head outside to check-out a family of bunnies. Rabbits prefer to hide from predators rather than trying to run away. If you are old enough to remember the Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Show, which ran in various forms from 1968 to 1985, you may have noticed that the words “bunny” (which typically refers to young rabbits), “rabbit” (or “wabbit,” as spoken by Elmer Fudd), and “hare” (as shown in various clever episode titles) all referred to Bugs Bunny. The exposed nesting sites of hares hint at another big difference—when they’re born. They can destroy crops and trees.