Animal identifier ยท Dogs and foxes
Urocyon cinereoargenteus
Much of the U.S. except the northern Rockies and the far North. Climbs trees. Small oval tracks similar to red fox.
What does a gray fox look like?
Grizzled gray back, black-tipped tail with a dark dorsal stripe, rusty sides.
What do gray fox tracks look like?
Hard to separate from red fox by the print alone. Habitat and a glimpse of the gray coat and black tail stripe decide it.
- Small oval tracks similar to red fox
- Slightly rounder print
- Salt-and-pepper gray coat with a black stripe down the tail
- Rusty neck and legs
- Often in brush and woodland, not open farm the way red fox prefers
What does gray fox poop look like?
Small tapered droppings with fur, insects, or fruit. Do not handle droppings. Several species carry parasites that stay in the soil around a latrine, including the deer tick.
Where you find it
Much of the U.S. except the northern Rockies and the far North. Climbs trees. Typical places: woods, desert. Year-round.
What to do next
- Leave dens alone
- Secure small livestock
This page is a field guide, not a permit to approach wildlife. If an animal is injured, aggressive, or inside a house, call a local wildlife officer.
Animals it is confused with
- Red fox identification
- Coyote identification
- All animal identification pages
- Identify an animal from a photo, track, or description
Can you tell gray fox tracks from red fox tracks?
Not reliably. Both are small oval canid prints. The gray coat and the black stripe on the tail are the useful marks.
How to tell a gray fox from similar animals
Use the track, the dropping, and the place together. One print is not enough.
- Red fox. A dainty canid print. Red-orange body, black stockings, white tip on the tail.
- Coyote. More oval and compact than a typical dog of the same weight. Slim canid, gray-tan, pointed muzzle, tail down.
Gray fox field marks
- Small oval tracks similar to red fox
- Slightly rounder print
- Salt-and-pepper gray coat with a black stripe down the tail
- Rusty neck and legs
Where the sign shows up
Much of the U.S. except the northern Rockies and the far North. Climbs trees. Typical places: woods, desert. Year-round.
Hard to separate from red fox by the print alone. Habitat and a glimpse of the gray coat and black tail stripe decide it. Small tapered droppings with fur, insects, or fruit.
Common questions
Can you tell gray fox tracks from red fox tracks?
Not reliably. Both are small oval canid prints. The gray coat and the black stripe on the tail are the useful marks.