Tuesday, 21 January 2025

Grey Fox

 


The gray fox, or grey fox, is an omnivorous mammal of the family Canidae, widespread throughout North America and Central America.

They live in a wide variety of places. They prefer to live in places they can blend in, like canyons and ridges. Though they will also live in wooded areas, open desert and grasslands. They can be found from Quebec to Northern Columbia and Venezuela.

They are common, but very elusive and rare to spot in the wild. They are primarily nocturnal but may forage during the day.


They are smaller than red foxes. They weigh between 7 and 13 pounds and average 3 to 4 feet in length including the tail. They are stockier and have shorter legs than the red fox. Their color is grizzled gray with a distinctive black streak along the top to the black tip of the tail.

They have a white throat and belly. Their chest and lower sides of the body, undersurface of the tail, backs of the ears, parts of the legs, feet and neck are reddish or yellowish brown. The claws are sharp, and on the forefeet recurved.


Due to their more aggressive behavior, they prefer to hunt thicker cover than the more timid red fox. The gray fox's preference for thicker cover, aggressive behavior, and the ability to climb trees minimizes the effect that eastern coyotes have on their population.

It often lines the den with shredded bark or leaves and will return to the same one year after year. The gray fox is nocturnal and crepuscular, which means it is most active at dusk and dawn. During the day, it remains in the den.


The gray fox is a solitary hunter and eats a wide variety of foods. A large part of its diet is made up of small mammals like mice, voles and eastern cottontail rabbits. It also eats birds; insects; and plants like corn, apples, nuts, berries and grass.

The gray fox has few natural predators. Bobcats, coyotes, great horned owls, and golden eagles may occasionally prey upon young gray foxes.

16 comments:

  1. They look like little puppies. Not as friendly, though. I saw a red one in our yard once. He came out of the blackberry bushes and ran fast.

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    1. I have never seen a fox in real life only photos of them

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  2. Haven't ever seen a grey fox, but I am just attracted to all foxes. Glad you are showing so many different kinds. :)

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    1. They are nice looking animals, I am pleased you like these posts

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  3. I have 4 of these beauties living in my back yard. They eat all the mice, gophers and insects.

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  4. Some more great facts about foxes, Jo-Anne. Thanks!

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  5. Oh, they are really very small. They look cute

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  6. They can climb trees?! I have only on occasion seen a red fox in our parts but even that is a rare sighting.

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  7. Thank you so much for sharing them with me. Hope your week goes well.

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  8. I saw a cross years ago up at the lake.

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