The 89 species in the lagomorpha order are distinguishable by two pairs of upper incisors that continue to grow during their lives. All lagomorphs are herbivores and use their incisors to cut vegetation that is then ground by their cheek teeth. Their primary diet is soft leaves and stems of various plants readily available in their specific habitat. In winter, they eat twigs, lichen, and emerging leaf buds. Hares and rabbits have large ears and small tails, but a pika's tail is so small it is hidden in its fur. Its ears are stubby and round.
From their natural habitat in deserts, forests and wetlands to backyard hutches, rabbits may be one of the most recognizable animals on earth. Born in a nest without hair and with eyes closed, baby rabbits are completely dependent upon their mother. In two weeks, their eyes are open and they are covered in soft fur. Domestic rabbits are common as pets. Their 30-day gestation cycle and litter size of 4 to 12 young makes them attractive prey in some parts of the world. In the wild, rabbits, hares and pikas are prey for a number of predators including eagles, hawks, coyotes, cougars and lynx.
Hares, the largest lagomorphs, are frequently referred to as rabbits, but they display striking differences from the time of birth. They are born on the ground, not in a nest. They are covered with fur, with their eyes open and are able to live on their own within one hour of birth. They do not burrow into the ground, living instead beneath shrubs and in tall grasses. They have larger and longer hind legs to outrun predators, and longer ears. In the U.S. there are three species of hares: the whitetail jackrabbit of the Northern plains, blacktail jackrabbits, found in the Southwest, and the arctic hare of Alaska, Northern Canada and at higher elevations in the Western U.S.
North America's two pika species live on talus slopes and in rock piles at elevations of 8,000 to 13,000 feet in Western Canada and the U.S. These tiny lagomorphs resemble hamsters and are usually heard before they are seen because of the high-pitched whistle they use to warn of approaching danger. They survive on a variety grasses, thistles and other plants that they gather into miniature haystacks during the spring and summer and use for food all winter.