Wildlife Watching Wednesday: The Clever And Secretive Red Fox

By: Tom Berg

The red fox is a beautiful, but rarely seen member of our wildlife community. Their bright red fur is hard to forget, and their playful antics can be comical for those lucky enough to see them. Since they are most active at night and very secretive by day, most people never see them.

Red foxes have bright red or rusty orange-colored fur, with a white belly and a bushy red tail that is tipped in white. The backs of their ears are black, and their front paws and lower front legs are black, too. Red foxes are smaller (15-20 inches high at the shoulder) than coyotes, and they avoid coyotes whenever possible.

Although they will eat a wide variety of foods, red foxes prefer small rodents like mice, voles, chipmunks, gophers, and ground squirrels. Rabbits are another favorite food. They also eat insects and all types of birds, especially waterfowl like ducks. When food is scarce, though, foxes will eat many kinds of fruits and other plant matter. They especially like apples, grapes, blueberries, mulberries and other small fruits.

The red fox is sometimes confused with the gray fox since they are similar in appearance and live in many of the same areas. However, red foxes are a bit larger than their gray fox cousins. One of the biggest differences can be seen in their tail: red foxes have a white-tipped tail while gray fox tails are black-tipped.

One of the most interesting behaviors of the red fox is their hunting tactic called “mousing”. When hunting mice, foxes can quietly home-in on the sound of a mouse that is hidden in the thick grass ahead of them or under a protective layer of snow. Once they pinpoint the location, they leap into the air and pounce down on the unsuspecting prey. It is amazing how often they are successful!

Red foxes are wary and very smart. They have learned to elude humans and are even pretty good at evading one of their biggest enemies, the coyote. Have you ever heard the expression “Smart as a fox?”

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