04/07/2026
Your Lawn Mower Doesn’t Know It’s Baby Season. The Rabbits Do.
Beneath a thin layer of dried grass and fur, a small group of Eastern cottontail kits lies hidden in a shallow nest—often no bigger than a salad bowl. Their eyes may still be closed. They weigh only a few ounces. Just feet away, a lawn mower hums.
Most people assume rabbit nests are tucked into brush or dug into burrows. They’re not.
Eastern cottontails nest right out in the open—often in the middle of lawns. It’s intentional. Predators rarely expect prey in plain sight. Neither do we.
From early spring through late summer, cottontails raise multiple litters. Unfortunately, this overlaps with peak yard work season. Mowing, trimming, tilling, and even heavy foot traffic can destroy nests without anyone realizing.
A nest that looks abandoned almost never is.
The mother stays away on purpose, returning only at dawn and dusk to nurse her young—usually for just a few minutes. It’s a survival strategy to avoid drawing attention.
And these small nests matter more than you might think.
Cottontails are an important part of the local food web. Foxes, hawks, and owls rely on them—especially in spring, when they’re raising their own young.
Before you mow:
1️⃣ Walk your yard slowly
2️⃣ Look for a small, shallow depression covered with dried grass or grayish fur
3️⃣ If you find one, mark it (two crossed sticks works well) and mow around it
The good news? The wait is short.
Kits typically leave the nest in about 2–3 weeks.
They don’t need much—just a little time and a moment of awareness.
A brief pause for you can mean survival for them.
