Red Fox
Scientific Name: Vulpes vulpes
Red foxes have a noticeable coloration that ranges from a pale yellowish red to a deep reddish brown on the top, and white or ashy gray underneath. Its legs are typically black, and their tail is bushy with a mix of white, red, brown and black with a distinct white tip. Their eyes are yellow with a pointed dark brown or black nose.
Two color variants commonly occur. Cross foxes have reddish brown fur with a black stripe down the back and another across the shoulders. Silver foxes range from strong silver to nearly black and are the most prized by furriers. These variants are about 25% and 10% of red fox individuals, respectively.
Adult size: 17 to 35 in
Weight: 6-30 lbs
Life span: 3-12 years in the wild
Maturity: 10 months
Litter size: 1-13
Fun Fact
Red foxes have more than 20 different calls!
Diet
Foxes are omnivorous, though they mostly eat rodents, rabbits, and insects. They occasionally eat fruit and will also eat carrion. Red foxes often cache surplus food by burying it in shallow holes - a behavior called “scatter hoarding.”
They have a recognizable method of hunting mice, where they stand and watch for mice, leap in the air and jump straight down onto the mouse to pin it to the ground.
Habitat
Red foxes have a wide range of habitats they occupy. These include both rural and urban areas, farmlands, forests, tundra, desserts, and prairies. They tend to prefer edge habitats and mixed scrub and woodlands, though they inhabit pretty much any kind of habitat.
Behavior
Red foxes are primarily crepuscular (active at dawn and dusk). In urban and suburban areas, they often shift to being entirely nocturnal to avoid humans. Red foxes are relatively territorial and maintain distinct home ranges by scent marking.
Red foxes are solitary animals outside of mating, and do not form packs. They will live in loose family units temporarily while rearing kits. They create dens within their home range, and often have a few “emergency burrows” throughout. The same den is often used throughout many generations.
Reproduction and Life Cycle
Red fox mating is interesting because it varies substantially. Red fox pairs can often be monogamous, but also known to be polygynous. There have even been of pairs using non-breeding female helpers in raising their young. Female red foxes have a yearly estrus period that lasts from 1-6 days.
The exact time of estrus varies across the broad geographic range of the species. Males also have a “cycle” where sperm is only produced from November to March. The gestation period is typically between 49 and 56 days. Pups are born blind and open their eyes roughly 9-14 days after birth. Pups leave the den for the first time around 4-5 weeks after birth and are fully weaned by 8-10 weeks.
Population Status
Red foxes are listed as of “least concern.” Their populations are stable throughout most of their range.
Viewing
Since foxes inhabit such a wide variety of habitats, they can be seen almost anywhere throughout the state. However, the best chance of seeing one would most likely be in more open areas such as fields and forest-field edges.
Range
Red foxes are the most widely distributed carnivore in the world and are known to occur in nearly every county in New York State.
For more information on Red fox in New York please visit the NYSDEC page here.
