Rabbits and hares are lagomorphs as opposed to rodents. Hares are much longer-limbed and swifter than rabbits.

Life span
Up to 13 years.

Statistics
Head and body length: 48-70cm, Weight: 3-5kg.

Physical description
Brown hares are larger than rabbits, with longer limbs, and a loping gait. They have black-tipped ears that are equal in length to the head. The tail is held down when running, showing its black dorsal surface. The fur moults in spring and autumn, the summer coat being a little lighter than the reddish winter coat.

Distribution
Brown hares are widespread in central and western Europe, including England and Wales, but they are absent from north western Scotland, Sardinia, the Balearic Islands and most of Spain and Portugal. It is thought that they are were introduced into Britain during Roman times, probably from Asia. They were introduced to Ireland for sport in the 19th century and their spread has been checked by competition from the Irish hare (a subspecies of mountain hare).

Habitat
Brown hares prefer temperate open habitats. They are found in most flat country among open grassland and arable farms, and can live up to 1500m in the Pyrenees. They use woodland and hedgerows as resting areas in the day.

Diet
Brown hares feed mainly on herbs in the summer, and predominantly grasses in the winter. They also feed on cereal and root crops, and in bad seasons, it has been suggested that they may eat animal corpses.

Behaviour
Brown hares rest in a shallow depression in fields or long grass known as a form, where only their back and head are visible. An adult occupies a range of 300 hectares, which it may share with other hares as they are not territorially aggressive.

Courtship involves boxing - the traditional 'mad March hare' behaviour. This is actually unreceptive females fending off males, rather than fighting between males. Brown hares escape predators by out-running them.

Reproduction
Females can have up to 3 litters a year, and on average, give birth to four young (known as leverets), after a gestation period of 41-42 days. The leverets are normally weaned after one month.

Conservation status
Hare numbers have declined in Britain and most of Europe since the 1960s. This may partly be due to modern farming methods. They are shot for sport in Europe, and sometimes hunted with dogs in the UK.

Records
Brown hares are the fastest land animals in the UK.