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Behavioural Observations of the Brown Hare Lepus europaeus
MAUREEN GIBSON
1 Dove House Collage, Oakley Road, Dovercourt, Essex COl 2 5DR
During February and March 2000, I have enjoyed an outstanding opportunity to observe Brown
Hares at close quarters on a regular basis. Open fields lie on the opposite site of the road from our
house, between Little Oakley and Dovercourt; most were drilled with winter cereals as soon as the
previous crop was harvested, but one field, overlooked by a first-floor window, was only roughly
ploughed in September 1999. It was also presumably treated with a persistent herbicide, as it re-
mained devoid of any vegetation throughout the winter.
Hares arc regularly seen on all the fields between the road and the sea wall, sometimes in good
numbers - in the snowy January of 1997, as many as seven were seen in one field. The local farmer
has reported that numbers are almost of pest proportions, and attributes this to a reduction i n shooting
pressure (A. Cullen, pers. comm.). However, it is only during the early months of 2000 that the lack
of winter vegetation permitted repeated, close observations.
By early February, it was becoming not unusual to see one or two hares running across the field, and
on 3rd February, two were seen boxing on the brow of the hill before running off in opposite directions.
Over the next five weeks, one or more hares were seen on an almost daily basis, in particular using
forms for daytime resting. These observations are presented in the notes below:
4.ii.00 At 0745, 1 watched a hare running up the field towards the road. It ran purposefully and
directly, as if it knew where it was going, until it stopped some 4m from the roadside
hedge, turned round and settled into a hollow (form A). Its back was to the road and
hedge, and it faced down the slope of the field (see Figure 1). I was able to indulge in
full-frame telescope views throughout the day (it never moved) until it departed some
time between 1530 and 1645.
5.ii.00 The hare was relocated already in its form at 0800, and again remained all day.
6. ii.00 Same place, all day again. The hare occasionally settled lower into its form, so that only
its head remained visible, possibly when disturbed by lorries or horses on the road. At
other times, it would fidget about and sit higher, although without changing position. Its
ears were laid flat along its back, and occasionally curled forwards, apparently when
listening to something, as described by Flux (1981).
14.ii.00 Seven hares were visible, three on the nearest, bare field and four on a set-aside field
towards the sea wall. Both groups were indulging in bouts of chasing, although not
boxing. By 0800, the near three had settled down into a loose group, but the others
dispersed separately; two were seen leaving purposefully as if to reach their daytime
resting place before it got too light. By 1200, rain had set in and all hares had disappeared,
before emerging again after the rain stopped around 1700. to feed in the cereal field.
I5.ii.00 Scanning over the near field at 0715, a hare was located in a different form (B), facing
towards the road; this was some 3m from form A, still only 4m from the road. As no
hare was present in Form A, it was presumed the same hare was involved. At one point,
a farm worker with a spade on his shoulder walked along the field edge; the hare sank
down into its form, but did not run.
16.ii.00 At 0751, a hare was seen settling into form A, huffing and puffing clouds of steam into
the cold air, as if to get its breath back!
Essex Naturalist (New Series) 17 (2000)