Reaching a length around 2 ft (61 cm), and a weight from 3 to 6 lb (1.4 to 2.7 kg), the black-tailed jackrabbit is one of the largest North American hares.

Their breeding depends on the location; it typically peaks in spring, but may continue all year round in warm climates.

Shrubs generally comprise the bulk of fall and winter diets, while grasses and forbs are used in spring and early summer, but the pattern and plant species vary with climate.

The black-tailed jackrabbit is an important prey species for raptors and carnivorous mammals, such as eagles, hawks, owls, coyotes, foxes, and wild cats.

The hares host many ectoparasites including fleas, ticks, lice, and mites; for this reason, hunters often avoid collecting them.

The black-tailed jackrabbit's dorsal fur is agouti (dark buff peppered with black), and its undersides and the insides of its legs are creamy white.

Native black-tailed jackrabbit populations occur from central Washington east to Missouri and south to Baja California Sur and Zacatecas.

Due to this geographic isolation, the current subspecies of L. californicus living on the peninsula can be separated into three subclades based on similar DNA structure and pelage color.

[9] Distribution of subspecies occurring entirely or partially in the United States is:[8][10] The black-tailed jackrabbit occupies plant communities with a mixture of shrubs, grasses, and forbs.

Two peak breeding seasons corresponding to rainfall patterns and growth of young vegetation occur in California,[15] Arizona,[18] and New Mexico.

[18] Litter sizes are largest in the northern portions of black-tailed jackrabbit's range and decrease toward the south.

Females may line forms with fur prior to giving birth, but some drop litters in existing depressions on the ground with no further preparation.

[8][19] The black-tailed jackrabbit can occupy a wide range of habitats as long as diversity in plant species exists.

[20] It prefers moderately open areas without dense understory growth and is seldom found in closed-canopy habitats.

For example, in California, black-tailed jackrabbits are plentiful in open chamise (Ademostoma fasciculatum) and Ceanothus spp.

Diurnal movement of 2–10 mi (3.2–16.1 km) occurs from shrub cover in day to open foraging areas at night.

[14] Home ranges of 0.4–1.2 sq mi (1.0–3.1 km2) have been reported in big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata) and black greasewood (Sarcobatus vermiculatus) communities of northern Utah.

[19] Black-tailed jackrabbits require shrubs or small conifers for hiding, nesting, and thermal cover, and grassy areas for night feeding.

[20][22] In the Snake River Birds of Prey Study Area in southwestern Idaho, black-tailed jackrabbits were more frequent on sites dominated by big sagebrush or black greasewood than on sites dominated by the smaller shrubs winterfat (Krascheninnikovia lanata) or shadscale (Atriplex confertifolia).

Shrubs generally comprise the bulk of fall and winter diets, while grasses and forbs are used in spring and early summer.

Therefore, black-tailed jackrabbits switch to phreatophyte (deep-rooted) shrubs when herbaceous vegetation is recovering from their foraging.

[13][14] In the Great Basin, big sagebrush is a primary forage species and is used throughout the year; in southern Idaho it forms 16–21% of the black-tailed jackrabbit summer diet.

Other preferred native grasses include Sandberg bluegrass (Poa secunda) and bluebunch wheatgrass (Pseudoroegneria spicata).

[24] Opuntia spp., saguaro (Carnegiea gigantea), and other cacti are used throughout the year, but are especially important in dry seasons as a source of moisture.

[29] The black-tailed jackrabbit is the primary prey of Swainson's, red-tailed, and ferruginous hawks on Idaho and Utah sites.

[11] In Colorado and southeastern Wyoming, black-tailed jackrabbits constitute 9% of nesting bald eagles' diet.

[30] Mammalian predators include coyote (Canis latrans), bobcat (Lynx rufus), Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis), domestic dog (Canis familiaris), domestic cat (Felis catus), red fox (Vulpes vulpes), common gray fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus), American badger (Taxidea taxus), wolf (Canis lupus), and cougar (Puma concolor).

Many hunters will not collect the jackrabbits they shoot, and those who do are well-advised to wear gloves while handling carcasses and to cook the meat thoroughly to avoid contracting tularemia.