How to identify it
Largest cottontail, about 1.6-2.7 kg. [1]
Ears small relative to other cottontails. [1]
Head and back a mix of dark brown, rusty brown or black; throat, belly and tail white. [1]
Clear cinnamon-coloured ring around the eye. [1]
Compared with the eastern cottontail: The swamp rabbit is the largest cottontail, with relatively small ears and a clear cinnamon eye-ring. [1]
Species it is confused with
Check these before deciding what you are looking at. If you are not certain what it is, do not shoot.
- Eastern cottontail · Sylvilagus floridanus
Field notes
- Identification Do not identify Swamp rabbit from colour alone. Compare structure, size, range and the listed similar species before making a field decision.[1]
Where it lives
Swampy lowlands, marshes, floodplains, river tributaries and cypress swamps, usually close to water; rests in depressions in tall grass or leaves. [1]
How it behaves
Most active at dawn, dusk and night; hides motionless by day in hollow logs or dense grass. [1]
Where it is listed for legal take
These authorities list this species for legal take in their own regulations.
Where legal take is listed
- Alabama — hunting · Alabama Hunting & Fishing Digest 2026-2027 (ADCNR, hosted at eRegulations; linked from outdooralabama.com)
- Arkansas — hunting · 2026-27 Arkansas Hunting Guidebook (PDF)
- Illinois — hunting · Illinois Digest of Hunting and Trapping Regulations 2026-2027 (PDF read from cached copy of the digest linked on this page)
- Louisiana — hunting · 2026-2027 Louisiana Hunting Regulations (updated Aug 7, 2026)
- Mississippi — hunting · 2026-2027 Hunting Seasons (MDWFP PDF)
- Missouri — hunting, trapping · A Summary of Missouri Hunting and Trapping Regulations 2026
- Oklahoma — hunting · Small Game Regulations
- South Carolina — hunting · 2026-2027 South Carolina Hunting & Fishing Laws and Regulations Guide
Being listed is not an open season. Seasons, zones, licences, methods and limits decide whether this animal may be taken on a given day and place — check Hunt or the authority before you go. Listings read 2026-09-30.
Where it is found
South-central United States and the Gulf Coast, abundant in Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana, and also in parts of South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Oklahoma and Missouri. Not found in Canada.
Sources
Every claim above is attributed to one of these published sources.
- BIOLOGICALSwamp rabbit (Sylvilagus aquaticus)
Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology · reviewed 2026-09-30
Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology