A male and female blacktail jackrabbit engage in a courtship ritual in which the male approaches the female and she wards him off with a leaping and boxing display.
Posted on by Hank

Recent Publication – Boxing Jackrabbits In Bay Nature Magazine

A male and female blacktail jackrabbit engage in a courtship ritual in which the male approaches the female and she wards him off with a leaping and boxing display.
A male and female blacktail jackrabbit engage in a courtship ritual in which the male approaches the female and she wards him off with a leaping and boxing display.
A male and female blacktail jackrabbit engage in a courtship ritual in which the male approaches the female and she wards him off with a leaping and boxing display.
A male and female blacktail jackrabbit engage in a courtship ritual in which the male approaches the female and she wards him off with a leaping and boxing display.
A male and female blacktail jackrabbit engage in a courtship ritual in which the male approaches the female and she wards him off with a leaping and boxing display.
A male and female blacktail jackrabbit engage in a courtship ritual in which the male approaches the female and she wards him off with a leaping and boxing display.

If you live the San Francisco Bay Area, grab the latest issue of Bay Nature Magazine to see an article on boxing jackrabbits featuring my three photos above. The bay is home to many blacktail jackrabbits, and on this occasion I was lucky enough to witness a courtship display of sorts. In this case, one or more males will chase a female, who will in turn ward off her suitor’s advances by rearing up and boxing at him with her front legs. Often, the male will mimic this behavior, giving the appearance of two boxing jackrabbits. The female will continue this behavior until the most aggressive male becomes apparent, at which point she will succumb to his advances.

Gear I used to create the photos in this post:
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Copyright 2017 Hank Christensen