Owls are one of the most incredible birds of prey who have fascinated us with their many behaviors and characteristics. Apart from being great hunters, owls have quite a varied diet, which includes many small rodents and mammals.
So, do owls eat rabbits? Yes, owls eat rabbits. They are actually the primary food source for the majority of the owl species. Large owls, like Great Horned Owls, usually hunt large, adult rabbits, whereas smaller owls, like Barn Owls, hunt baby rabbits.
Moreover, owls have excellent eyesight, which they use to spot their prey from long distances, and a rabbit is also not excused from their sight. So, if you have a rabbit, learn everything you need to know!
Do Owls Eat Rabbits?
Owls are birds of prey, and they do eat rabbits like any other of their prey. They have sharp talons, strong legs, beaks, and powerful vision, which help them to hunt any prey they want. We also can’t forget their ability to fly without any noise, which can’t even be detected with high-power mics.
An owl’s diet is full variety, from small insects to large mammals even. These predators are opportunists and will hunt anything available in their sight. So, if an owl sees a wild rabbit or a hare, be sure that it will hunt it down for its meat.
Moreover, being nocturnal gives them the opportunity to attack their prey with speed and precision, and it’s extremely rare to see an owl not be successful in catching its prey.
We found out that small to medium-sized owls go for baby rabbits because they are usually weak and easier to catch. But you might think, how would a baby rabbit fulfill their hunger? Well, when there’s one baby, there ought to be more.
A rabbit gives birth in a litter, so the owl has no problem locating the nest and hunting the other rabbits. In this way, they just fill up their tummy.
On the other hand, large owls, like the Great Horned Owl, lunges for adult rabbits. They know the adult rabbits are no match for their large size. Moreover, if you didn’t already know, this owl species can actually carry four times its weight!
For example, a goose can weigh about 12 pounds, and this enormous owl species will lift them up and even fly away easily. So, an adult rabbit that only weighs about 4 pounds is a snack for the Great Horned Owl.
How Do Owls Hunt Rabbits?
The ecological relationship between rabbits and owls is purely prey and predator. An owl will grab the opportunity of hunting a rabbit whenever it gets one. But how do they do it?
We know rabbits and hares are fast, but are they fast enough to outrun an owl? We don’t think so because owls don’t use such techniques that will scare the rabbit.
Owls are very patient birds. They will just perch upon a tree branch near their unsuspecting prey when it’s chomping down some grass in an open field.
Then the owl will wait and let the prey come closer and swoop in to attack it with its sharp talons and beaks. This technique leaves the rabbit no time to even react to what has happened.
Immediately after grabbing the rabbit, the owl crushes its neck and head and tears it apart. The owl might then fly with the prey to its “kill spot” near its nest or just devour the prey where it caught it.
However, if an owl has babies, they’ll carry the meat to their nest to feed the young ones.
Do All Owls Eat Rabbits?
You can say rabbits are a delicacy for the owls, and so all owl species enjoy hunting them. You’ll see even the largest owls, like the Blakiston’s Fish Owl to the smallest Whitney’s Elf Owl, hunting rabbits.
Don’t be surprised because rabbits are a great protein source for these majestic birds, and they can easily find them in any environment. Moreover, rabbits being readily available around the world, different owls have more chances to hunt one.
Now, if you’re curious about which owl species eat rabbits, here are 10 of the most common ones: Great Horned Owl, Barn Owl, Northern Pygmy Owl, Long-Eared Owl, Snowy Owl, Flammulated Owl, Western Screech Owl, Eastern Screech Owl, Barred Owl, and Northern Saw-Whet Owl.
Which Types of Rabbits Do Owls Like to Eat?
Do you think owls have a preference in the case of rabbits? As we said before, owls are opportunist hunters; they will hunt any rabbit in their sight, and it doesn’t matter if it’s a Pygmy Rabbit, a Cottontail Rabbit, or a Jackrabbit.
However, the adorable, baby-faced, and cuddly Cottontail rabbits are the usual prey of most owls. Guess there’s not much of a friendship there, and cuteness doesn’t really work in the wild.
Moreover, you will laugh to know that some owls are so brave that they even go after Jackrabbits. If you don’t know what a Jackrabbit is, let us explain a little.
Don’t confuse jackrabbits with rabbits. Although they have “rabbit” in their names, they’re actually hares. They are much larger than rabbits and can run 30 miles/hour and jump 30 feet high with their large hind legs.
Jackrabbits are tougher than you think! They adapt themselves to live in dry and arid areas where rabbits wouldn’t stand a chance to survive. Even such strong prey fails to escape from the claws of the owls.
Do Owls Eat Pet Rabbits (Domestic)?
Owls don’t know the difference between wild and pet rabbits, so they actually don’t care as long as they get a meal. We know it’s upsetting, but these are wild birds we’re talking about!
But don’t worry; owls are afraid of you. Well, they fear humans in general and won’t usually hunt around human housing. We, humans, make a lot of noise and have a lot going on every day at our residence, which owls aren’t really fond of. So, if you have pet rabbits, you can be a bit relieved.
However, being opportunists, owls might just swoop in to catch your pet rabbits when you’re not paying attention. This usually happens in rural areas rather than urban places.
Moreover, a domestic rabbit’s size is also a reason for many owls to hunt or not hunt pet rabbits. For example, if your pet rabbit belongs to a large rabbit species, their weight is too much for a small or medium-sized owl to successfully lift up.
On the other hand, small rabbit breeds like your pet cottontail rabbits are an easy hunt for owls. Even if they fail to hunt your adult pet rabbits, they will target your pet’s small babies.
So, technically, the chance of your pet rabbit getting eaten is 50/50.
How Can You Keep Your Domestic Rabbits Safe from Owls?
D.S. Bunn mentioned in an article that many owl species, like Barn Owls, even hunt during the day, which means we can’t let our pet rabbits roam around in the garden freely in the daytime.
Moreover, as there’s a 50-50 chance of our sweet pet rabbits getting hunted by owls, we should always be prepared to protect them. But we can’t obviously just sit with them all day and night.
So, we found some efficient and easy ways to protect our fur babies from owls.
1. Build Hutches
Bunny hutches in our backyard for our sweet pets are the ideal owl protection. It’s easy to build, and our pet rabbits will have a lot of room to hop around.
However, you need to make a sturdy shelter, as otherwise, large owls can easily break through wires and cause quite the damage. Heavy-duty wires are more efficient than chicken wire because it’s not as flimsy and thin.
Moreover, you can go for Horse Fence Panels with small wire holes. These are strong, durable, and there’s no chance of any rabbits escaping.
2. Make the Shelter Above Ground
Owls don’t just dive in and catch prey; they also sometimes walk around areas for food. So, in this scenario, the best thing to do is to build cages above ground.
Above-ground cages or hutches are safer as owls aren’t able to reach them easily. It’s also good for our pet rabbits’ mental health as they don’t have to panic and run around when an owl attack does take place.
3. Get Extra Protection
Sometimes, one wire isn’t enough to keep an owl away from its healthy prey. So, double or even triple the wiring! You can install bird netting a few feet away from the hutches so that owls can’t even get close.
Moreover, hang up flashing lights and mirrors to scare off owls when they try to perch on the fencing. You should also fence the play area of your pet rabbits with 14-gauge steel wires, as it will help avoid any daytime attacks.
4. Keep Rabbit Food at a Distance
Small rodents like mice, rats, squirrels, etc., will come searching for food near your rabbit hutch. If you leave food outside for your pet rabbits, we advise you not to.
These small rodents are an attractive meal for owls, and when the owls will notice your pet rabbits, they won’t back down into hunting one. So, it’s better not to attract other critters in your backyard if you want to keep your fur babies safe.
Conclusion
Our life is no fairy tale where all creatures live in harmony. In reality, nature is much more fierce, where there are prey and predators. Just like that, owls and rabbits can never be friends.
The diet of owls actually helps keep a balance of the rabbit population in the wild, otherwise, your crops would have been destroyed by rabbits. So, just take care of your pet rabbits and let the owl hunt others.
