The Arizona Cotton Rat is a medium-sized rodent of desert grasslands and marsh edges in Arizona and New Mexico, closely related to the more widespread hispid cotton rat. It thrives along desert stream corridors with dense grass cover and is an important prey species for a variety of raptors including ferruginous hawks and owls. Its populations track available grass cover, increasing rapidly in wet years.
Best time to see a Arizona Cotton Rat
The best time to see a Arizona Cotton Rat is April–July, when about 63% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 382 research-grade iNaturalist observations.
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