The brush rabbit is a small brownish cottontail rabbit of the U.S. West Coast and Baja California, Mexico. The fur is brownish in appearance with individual hairs of gray, black and reddish brown. The ears are fairly small. The small tail is brown above and white underneath. They come out to feed after sunset and stay active until early morning.

Brush rabbits are herbivorous. They graze on a wide variety of grasses and forbs (e.g., clovers, foxtails, bromes, thistles) in grasslands, meadows, and riparian areas, always within, or very close to, dense brushy cover. Brush rabbits also browse, especially in fall and winter, on tender leaves, twigs, buds, and bark of blackberry, wild rose, and other species.

They nest in cavities, dug or natural, approximately 7.5 to 15 cm (3 to 6 in) deep, in the ground, usually beneath brushy cover. The nest is lined with dry vegetation, and/or fur, and often it is plugged with dry vegetation.