The red fox (\(Vulpes\ vulpes\)) is the largest and most widespread of the true foxes, demonstrating high adaptability. This species has successfully colonized almost every type of landscape, from remote forests and farmlands to busy suburban and urban environments. Foxes are fundamentally opportunistic creatures, mastering survival by exploiting a diverse array of resources. Their preferences revolve around securing sustenance, establishing a safe territory, and maintaining a functional social structure.
What Foxes Eat
The red fox is a true omnivore, demonstrating its opportunistic nature through its diet. Small mammals, particularly rodents such as mice, voles, and rats, form the bulk of the diet in many rural areas, often accounting for 50% of its intake. Foxes are adept hunters, using keen hearing to locate prey before executing a characteristic pounce.
Beyond small rodents, foxes regularly prey on lagomorphs like rabbits and hares, as well as ground-nesting birds and their eggs. Invertebrates, such as crickets, beetles, and caterpillars, also constitute a significant portion of their meals, especially in warmer months. Foxes actively seek out fruits and berries in autumn, with items like blackberries being highly favored.
Foxes cache surplus food by burying it under leaves, snow, or dirt, a strategy used to manage fluctuating food availability. Urban foxes exhibit a unique dietary shift, readily scavenging from human food waste, compost piles, and pet food left outdoors, allowing them to thrive in densely populated environments.
Habitat and Den Preferences
The red fox’s success is rooted in its ability to occupy a diverse range of habitats, from mountain scrublands and mixed woodlands to agricultural fields and human landscapes. They favor areas that offer a mix of cover and open ground, such as forest edges or farmland interspersed with woodlots, providing both hunting opportunities and concealment. Home ranges vary based on resource availability, typically spanning between two and eight square miles.
Shelter is sought in the form of a den, or “earth,” though adult foxes rarely use them outside of the breeding season, preferring to sleep in open, concealed spots. A breeding female, or vixen, prepares a substantial den, often by enlarging an abandoned burrow. These natal dens are complex structures, sometimes reaching 75 feet in length with multiple entrances for escape and ventilation.
Den sites are chosen for quiet, well-drained, and hidden locations, such as under tree roots, among rocks, or beneath sheds and porches. Foxes maintain several emergency burrows throughout their home range in addition to the main den. They prefer sites that offer good shelter and are situated within easy reach of reliable food sources.
Social Structures and Communication
Red foxes are often described as solitary animals, reflecting their preference for hunting and traveling alone outside of the breeding period. However, their social structure revolves around a cohesive family unit, often called a ‘skulk’ or a ‘leash,’ consisting of a breeding pair and their young kits. Sometimes, a non-breeding adult female remains with the pair to act as a helper in raising the new litter.
This family group maintains a defined territory, regulated through an intricate system of communication. Foxes employ an extensive vocal repertoire, with up to 28 distinct vocalizations described. These range from short barks and chatters to the loud “gekker” scream used during territorial disputes or heightened aggression, helping family members recognize each other and deter intruders.
Scent marking is the primary method used to delineate territory boundaries and convey status. Foxes deposit urine, feces, and secretions from specialized glands, such as the anal sacs and the supracaudal gland, onto prominent objects. Within the family unit, a loose social hierarchy exists, established through body language like submissive postures, which minimizes conflict and ensures coordinated care for the kits.