- Comments:
Red foxes are smaller than coyotes and larger than swift foxes. They
have a bright, rusty-red coat with a white belly, white chin and a bushy, red tail with a
white tip. They dig dens in wooded hillsides or stream banks or use dens constructed by
other mammals. They hunt alone from dusk to dawn and are noted for their comical
"mouse leap," where they spring straight up and pounce with all four feet on
their rodent prey. Litters of 4-9 pups are born in late winter or early spring. They may
live up to 10 years in the wild.
- Distribution:
Red foxes are the most widely distributed carnivore in the world and found in North
America, Europe, North Africa and Asia. They are found in all but the western quarter of
the United States and occupy nearly all of Canada and Alaska. They are most commonly found
in woodlands and shrublands throughout Kansas. They may inhabit urban areas along river
corridors and highway interchanges. Coyotes will catch and kill red foxes
- Food:
Red foxes feed on rabbits, hares, mice, rats, insects, ground nesting birds,
carrion, fruits, berries, garbage and poultry.
Other Kansas
Carnivores
Return to the Mammal's Den! |
