I was asked by Gary of
Potters Blog, if these were the same type of rabbit they see in NY state.
No, these are
White-tailed Jackrabbits and according to this site, their habitat is usually Western Canada and the States although they do range as far east as South-western Ontario and Wisconsin. In winter these rabbits will turn white, ranging from pure white here in the North, to just a bit of white in places South that don't get much snow.
There are
Black-tailed Jackrabbits, but their habitat seems to be mostly desert SW & Mexico. I couldn't find anything that said they ventured North and East.
What you probably have are
European Hares. They were brought over as domesticated farm animals and have since made themselves at home in the wild.
Phew, enough research for one day! I can't remember if that photo above will be in focus if you enlarge it, but he is eating! You can clearly see the white tail though which is why I included it.
Have a good day all.
EDIT: Frank kindly pointed out in comments that they have cottontails in Ontario. I didn't even think of researching them. They could also be what Gary is seeing in NY. So, thanks Frank.
