Brown Hare vs European Rabbit

The Brown Hare is much bigger than rabbits, with long ears that have black tips, strong back legs, and a unique hopping way of moving. Adults are between 50 and 70 centimetres long, with golden-brown fur and a black patch on the top of their tail. They originally come from mainland Europe but were brought to Britain by the Romans. They prefer open farmland, grassland, and crop fields. Brown Hares are mostly active early in the morning and late in the evening. They rest in shallow hollows in the ground called forms instead of digging burrows. They are well known for their amazing boxing behaviour during the spring breeding season, where they stand on their back legs and hit each other with their front paws. The Brown Hare is different from the Mountain Hare because it is bigger, does not turn white in winter, and lives mainly in lowland areas.

The European Rabbit is a small mammal with greyish-brown fur, long ears without black tips, and a distinctive white tail. Adults usually weigh between 1.2 and 2 kilograms and measure 35 to 45 centimetres in length. This species is much more social than hares and lives in large underground tunnel systems. Native to the Iberian Peninsula and northwest Africa, the European Rabbit has been introduced to many other places, including Europe, Australia, and parts of South America. In Britain, it was brought over by the Normans and is now found everywhere. European Rabbits prefer well-drained areas with sandy soil that is good for digging. They live in grasslands, heathlands, coastal dunes, and the edges of woodlands. They are mostly active at dawn and dusk, when they come out to feed on grasses and herbs.