BY ALLISON LEE
Hares are mammals belonging to the genus Lepus. They are herbivores and live either in pairs or alone. They nest in slight depressions, which are known as ‘forms’, and their young, known as leverets, are able to fend for themselves shortly after birth.
Hares are very different from rabbits. For one, they are generally much bigger than rabbits, and they have longer ears and more powerful, longer legs. They can reach speeds of up to 40mph when evading predators. Their habitats also vary considerably, with hares preferring open areas such as fields and grasslands, while rabbits are often found in shrubby areas where they create burrows called warrens.
The brown hare was originally thought to have been introduced to the UK in Roman times; however, more recent radiocarbon dates for bones found on sites in Hampshire and Hertfordshire suggest brown hares may have been introduced in the Iron Age.
Brown hares can be most commonly spotted in open farmland, fields, and hedgerows. However, like many of our natural mammals, the brown hare is also declining in numbers due to a loss of habitat and changes in agricultural practices and hunting. It is thought that brown hares in the UK have decreased by up to 80% in the last century.
Living on a smallholding in the North Yorkshire countryside, I am lucky enough to spot these beautiful creatures on a daily basis, particularly from early evening onwards when they venture close to the house despite the fact that I have four dogs watching them closely from the opposite side of the patio doors!
The brown hare is easy to spot with its distinctive golden-brown coat, pale belly and white tail. It is much larger than a rabbit, with long, powerful legs and ears with distinctive black tips.
Although I haven’t as yet been lucky enough to spot brown hares ‘boxing’, it is something I will be sure to look out for. Hares, both male and female, box. Boxing is when two hares will stand on their hind legs and attack each other with their front paws, pulling out fur, giving the impression of two boxers in the ring, hence the name ‘boxing hares’.
It is thought that this energetic behaviour, displayed particularly during the month of March, hence the term ‘mad March hares’, is to do with the mating season, with the male hares, known as bucks, seeking out the female hares, known as does, that have come into season. The boxing usually begins when the female has had enough of a persistent male and she tries to fend him off. This behaviour can continue for weeks.
Crows are highly intelligent and opportunistic birds that occasionally attack hares, particularly young or vulnerable individuals. Using their sharp beaks and strong talons, crows may swoop down to peck at a hare’s eyes, neck, or back, aiming to weaken or disorient their prey. While a healthy adult hare can often outrun or fend off a single crow, groups of crows may work together to harass and exhaust the animal. These attacks are more common in open areas where hares have little cover, especially during winter when food is scarce and crows become more aggressive in their hunting strategies. Though not their primary prey, hares can fall victim to crows when other food sources are limited.
Allison Lee is a smallholder from North Yorkshire who has written for the Yorkshire Times and other publications. Her website can be accessed here.