A mom gray fox and her kit living under our studio. Pure joy! Photo: Corrie Woods
Ok, so where are mom & dad? And are there more? Since they are mostly nocturnal, coming out at night except on rare occasions or when they have kits to feed, it appears this young one is just starting to explore. In broad daylight!
We get our critter cams set up and also call my sister, Corrie Woods, who lives next door, to alert her. We are definitely a family who loves all wildlife.
Within a couple of days, we see both parents and not one, but four kits. Wow, they are living on our property which hopefully means they know it is safe to raise their babies without interference from us.
How do you tell gray foxes from red ones? 
Red or Gray fox? Tip, look at the tail.
Look closely and you will see their long, beautiful bushy tail. They use their tail for balance, keeping warm at night and communicating with other animals. And look closely at the tip of the tail. Gray foxes have black tips and red foxes white.
And what if you see a fox climbing a tree? Wait, they climb trees? Well, only gray foxes climb trees. Red foxes stay on the ground. Now you know 2 great ways to tell the difference between the two species. You are becoming an expert!
Gray fox or red fox? Photo: Loti Woods/Brookgreen Gardens
Let’s learn some cool facts about gray foxes
And when it comes to mating, gray foxes generally couple for life but don’t live together. How strange! Each spring, the male & female find each other and then stay together until the fall, raising the kits. Then it is off to separate lives until next spring.
Most litters are 3-5 kits born once a year in the spring. Born in a den made in hollow logs, caves or under buildings, the parents will move the den if they think the kits aren’t safe, often moving it several times. So we are thankful. Our family has been living under Dale’s studio for the last 9 weeks. What joy to see them every day!
Born blind and helpless until about three weeks old, the kits are weaned and learning how to hunt by three months. Incredible. After nine months, the kits disperse, looking for mates to start their own families. Since gray foxes live an average of 6-10 years, we hope to see this family back next year.
Do gray or red foxes climb trees? Photo: Corrie Woods
How do foxes find prey?
And there is much to be learned from all foxes. Now, what could you possibly learn? How about their use of the earth’s magnetic field to hunt. Really! If you have ever seen a fox successfully pounce on a mouse, you might wonder if they are smelling it. Or maybe hearing it?
Foxes use all their senses to hunt, especially their ears. Each ear can rotate 180 degrees in different directions so they can actually hear a mouse over 100 feet away. But even cooler is they use the earth’s magnetic field to measure the depth and distance of the mouse. By aligning their bodies in a northeast direction (the same direction as the earth’s magnetic pull), they increase their success in catching prey from 18% to 74%. Wow.
To learn more read our blog “A Foxy Way To Use Earth’s Magnetic Field” And we will attest they are expert hunters. Every night, our male & female foxes bring back rats, voles, mice, squirrels & rabbits for the family to eat. It is quite extraordinary how much prey they catch.
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- The fox listens
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- It calculates how far & deep to jump
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- Plunging into the snow, a mouse is caught
Gray foxes live an average of 6-10 years in the wild. Photo: Corrie Woods
The biggest threat to foxes?
But the biggest predator is us humans. Foxes are sometimes considered pests and are often hunted and/or trapped for their fur. So we are happy to give our family a safe haven.
Why are gray foxes important to our ecosystem?
Foxes help keep rodent populations under control. Photo: Corrie Woods
And of course, they are really cute. We have learned so much about the strength of the family bond. If we get too near when the kits are out, Dad barks at us to back off! Watching our family grow is one of the greatest joys we have experienced while living in Western NC. If you get outside and look around, you might just see a fox living near you! And now you know if it a red or gray!
Foxes need our help to stay safe. Photo: Corrie Woods
How can you help?
To learn more
Learn all you can about gray foxes. You might just have one living in your backyard! Photo: Corrie Woods
And check out Dale’s sculpture “Catching the Scent” with all proceeds donated to the educational programs of our nonprofit, Weiler Woods for Wildlife. And yes, the sculpture is of a red fox, not a gray but in this case, who cares!
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P.O. Box 128 Lynn, North Carolina, 28750
