Animal identifier ยท Dogs and foxes
Vulpes vulpes
Most of Canada and the northern and central U.S., plus many farm and suburb edges. Small oval tracks, about 1.75 to 2.5 inches.
What does a red fox look like?
Red-orange body, black stockings, white tip on the tail. A color variant can be silver or cross.
What do red fox tracks look like?
A dainty canid print. In snow the trail is very straight. A bounding fox leaves paired prints.
- Small oval tracks, about 1.75 to 2.5 inches
- Fine, narrow print. Claws may show.
- Trail is a straight line, often with the hind foot in the front track
- Scat is small, twisted, and pointed, often on a raised spot
- Red coat, black lower legs, white tail tip
What does red fox poop look like?
Smaller than coyote, tapered, often with fur or berries, left on a rock, log, or trail edge. Do not handle droppings. Several species carry parasites that stay in the soil around a latrine, including the deer tick.
Where you find it
Most of Canada and the northern and central U.S., plus many farm and suburb edges. Typical places: field, woods, yard. Year-round.
What to do next
- Enjoy from a distance
- Secure poultry at night
- Do not relocate foxes
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
- Gray fox identification
- Coyote identification
- All animal identification pages
- Identify an animal from a photo, track, or description
A small oval dog print, under 2.5 inches, in a very straight trail.
How do you tell fox poop from coyote poop?
Fox scat is thinner and shorter. Coyote scat is a thicker rope. Both taper and contain hair.
How to tell a red fox from similar animals
Use the track, the dropping, and the place together. One print is not enough.
- Gray fox. Hard to separate from red fox by the print alone. Grizzled gray back, black-tipped tail with a dark dorsal stripe, rusty sides.
- Coyote. More oval and compact than a typical dog of the same weight. Slim canid, gray-tan, pointed muzzle, tail down.
Red fox field marks
- Small oval tracks, about 1.75 to 2.5 inches
- Fine, narrow print. Claws may show.
- Trail is a straight line, often with the hind foot in the front track
- Scat is small, twisted, and pointed, often on a raised spot
Where the sign shows up
Most of Canada and the northern and central U.S., plus many farm and suburb edges. Typical places: field, woods, yard. Year-round.
A dainty canid print. In snow the trail is very straight. A bounding fox leaves paired prints. Smaller than coyote, tapered, often with fur or berries, left on a rock, log, or trail edge.
Common questions
What do red fox tracks look like?
A small oval dog print, under 2.5 inches, in a very straight trail.
How do you tell fox poop from coyote poop?
Fox scat is thinner and shorter. Coyote scat is a thicker rope. Both taper and contain hair.