Fox, Common Gray

Physical Features

The Common Gray Fox has a grizzled, peppery gray upper body color with reddish-brown coloration on its sides, chest and the back of its head. Its legs and feet are also a reddish color. It has a long bushy tail with a black stripe on top. The Common Gray Fox has pointed ears, a pointed muzzle and long hooked claws. The gray fox has a height of 36 to 38cm (14 1/8 – 15 inches) and a length of 80 to 113 centimeters (31 to 44 inches). It weighs about 3.3 to 5.9kgs (7 ¼ - 13 pounds) The Red Fox is a similar species to the Common Gray Fox but the Red Fox can be differentiated by its white-tipped tail. The smaller Kit Fox also resembles the Common Gray Fox, but it has yellow-tinted buff fur and its tail has a black tip.

Habitat

The Gray Fox lives in a wide variety of habitats but prefers areas with lots of brush or woods. It can be found from southern Canada to northern Columbia and Venezuela. It is not present in some mountainous parts of the Northwest United States and in the Great Plains.

Diet

The Common Gray Fox feeds heavily on cottontail rabbits, mice, voles, other small mammals, birds, insects, and much plant material, including corn, apples, persimmons, nuts, cherries, grapes, pokeweed fruit, grass, and blackberries. Grasshoppers and crickets are often a very important part of the diet in late summer and autumn.

Meat

Common Gray Fox meat tastes similar to chicken.

Behavior

Although active primarily at twilight and at night, the Common Gray Fox is sometimes seen foraging by day in brush, thick foliage, or timber. It is the only American canid that has true climbing ability and it can occasionally be seen foraging in trees and often takes refuge in them, especially in leaning or thickly branched ones. It makes its den in rocky crevices, caves, hollow logs and trees and are usually used only during the mating season and when raising young. Males and females usually for monogamous mate mating pairs. The mating season takes place between January and April. About 53 days after mating, the female gives birth to between one and seven pups. The male Common Gray Fox helps tend to the young, but does not den with them. They are weaned when they are about three months old and are able to hunt on their own when they are four months old. The pups leave their mother in the autumn. Common Gray Fox usually live between 7 – 10 years in the wild. The Common Fox growls, barks, or yaps, but is less vocal than the Red Fox.

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