Idaho mammals

Mountain Cottontail in Idaho

Sylvilagus nuttallii

Native to Idaho S4 Apparently Secure in Idaho

Not listed as nonindigenous in Idaho by USGS NAS; native to its Idaho range.

IUCN Red List status

  1. LC
  2. NT
  3. VU
  4. EN
  5. CR
  6. EW
  7. EX

LC – Least Concern

Widespread and abundant; not at risk.

Mountain cottontail in dry western woodland edgeMountain cottontail tucked under a low structureMountain cottontail feeding in green grassMountain cottontail crouched near a curb and planted coverMountain cottontail near a building and low vegetation
Photo: Kathlin Simpkins · CC0Mountain cottontail in dry western woodland edgePhoto: Pam Hardy · CC BY 4.0Mountain cottontail tucked under a low structurePhoto: Jennie Lawrence · CC BY 4.0Mountain cottontail feeding in green grassPhoto: Grant Chovil · CC BY 4.0Mountain cottontail crouched near a curb and planted coverPhoto: Daughter Dad · CC BY 4.0Mountain cottontail near a building and low vegetation

Mountain Cottontail in Idaho, by the numbers

Common in Idaho 19th most recorded of 123 mammals logged in Idaho

522 occurrence records
399 with iNaturalist photos
Jul 3, 2026 Last seen in Idaho

Records from 2000–2026.

522 total records count every Idaho occurrence from GBIF and iNaturalist; the map plots a georeferenced sample of 300; the monthly chart covers the 520 records with a full observation date.

When to look for the Mountain Cottontail in Idaho

Most sightings fall in April to July.

520 Idaho occurrence records (iNaturalist and GBIF) by month of year, 2000–2026. Shows when the species is recorded, not a guarantee of presence.

Monthly Idaho records (table)
MonthRecords
January26
February26
March24
April57
May76
June59
July69
August39
September56
October47
November27
December14

Monthly mountain cottontail occurrence records (iNaturalist and GBIF) in Idaho, 2000–2026.

Seasonality

Year-round in Idaho, with recorded sightings peaking in April–July, with a smaller rise in September–October.

Occurrence map

Where Mountain Cottontail has been recorded in Idaho

300 records mapped · zoom and drag to explore

300 Idaho records mapped

Notable places to look

Park, forest, or monumentiNaturalist records
Lucky Peak State Park 6
Snake River Plain 5
City of Rocks National Reserve 5
Land of Yankee Fork State Park 5
Craters of the Moon National Monument 4
State of Idaho 4
Castle Rocks State Park 3
Edson Fichter Nature Area 3

Protected places with the most mountain cottontail sightings, from the USGS Protected Areas Database plus named mountain ranges, good spots to look, not a full breakdown, so they don't sum to the total.

Where it's recorded in Idaho

CountyRecords
Ada County 97
Canyon County 60
Bannock County 41
Owyhee County 36
Blaine County 34
Jefferson County 30
Madison County 29
Bingham County 22
Cassia County 18
Butte County 18
Power County 17
Custer County 14
23 other counties 106

The complete county distribution, spread across 35 Idaho counties. Every occurrence record falls in one county, so these sum to the total. Counties from GBIF and US Census boundaries.

Idaho’s 522 mountain cottontail records reach across 35 counties, led by Ada, Canyon, and Bannock, and they run from the Snake River Plain up into rocky foothill country at City of Rocks National Reserve and Castle Rocks State Park.

A rabbit of brush and broken rock

True to its name, this cottontail favors higher, rougher ground than its eastern relatives: sagebrush flats, lava outcrops, and the brushy edges of montane forest. It does not dig burrows, resting instead in a shallow form pressed under dense cover, and its first defense is to freeze and let its mottled coat do the work. Dawn and dusk are its busiest hours.

Two pulses of activity

Mountain cottontails stay active all winter, and Idaho’s reports rise in April and May and again in July and September. The pattern fits a long breeding season, with females raising several litters from spring into late summer and young rabbits venturing farther from cover as the year warms.

Status in Idaho

NatureServe ranks the mountain cottontail S4, Apparently Secure, in Idaho, and the species is native to the state. USGS NAS does not list it as nonindigenous here.

Occurrence data from iNaturalist and GBIF.

Mountain Cottontail in other states

View all states →

Mountain cottontail in dry western woodland edge
Full species profile Mountain Cottontail Sylvilagus nuttallii Size 27.9–38.1 cm11–15 in Weight 0.6–1.1 kg1.3–2.4 lb Lifespan Up to 7.4 yr View the full profile

More mammals in Idaho in the atlas

Data & sources

The data and visualizations on this page draw on these open sources:

  • GBIFCC-BY 4.0occurrence records behind the range map, elevation, and record counts
  • iNaturalistCC0 / CC-BY / CC-BY-SAobservations, photos, and audio recordings
  • NatureServe ExplorerCC-BYthe state conservation rank
  • IUCN Red Listattributed factthe global conservation status
  • USGS NASpublic domainnative / introduced status
  • Natural Earthpublic domainthe relief basemap
  • USFSpublic domainnational-forest boundaries
  • USGS Protected Areas Databasepublic domainthe named parks, forests, and refuges behind "notable places to look"