Most cottontails and brush rabbits have a home range of no more than 10 to 15 acres, often considerably less. Cottontails and brush rabbits are not territorial but maintain home ranges that overlap broadly with other individuals of all age and sex classes. Cottontails and brush rabbits do not exhibit the same magnitude of daily travels as seen in jackrabbits, although they do make habitual use of travel lanes within their home range. The breeding season for both cottontails and brush rabbits begins in December and ends in June. Litter size is usually between three to four young, with up to six litters per year.
Rabbits give birth in a shallow depression on the ground.
The newborn rabbits, which are nearly furless and have closed eyes, remain in the nest for several weeks. The food habits of cottontails and brush rabbits vary with the location and time of year. Cottontails feed seasonally on grasses, sedges, herbaceous plants, willows, oaks, blackberries, and wild roses. Brush rabbits prefer clover and also feed on the stems and berries of woody plants such as blackberry. This is particularly true where wild or uncultivated lands border residential zones, parks, greenbelts, or other landscaped areas.