On winter nights, you might hear harrowing sounds reminiscent of a woman screaming in the woods. Those chilling calls are actually from our local red foxes.

Red fox mating season begins in January and continues through March. During this time, competing males will scream at each other while females, aka vixens, will scream to attract potential suitors. As a quick aside- the fisher “scream” is a myth and is actually a red fox call. Below is an older video that has some great examples of the many red fox calls you might hear:

Red foxes can breed around 10 months of age. Typically, males and females will form pair bonds but don’t always keep it monogamous. They will either construct a den site or take over an area made by another animal, like a groundhog. Occasionally, they will also den under sheds and porches, so be mindful if you see foxes hanging around those structures.

The young, known as kits, are born 7-8 weeks after mating occurs. Kits average 3-4 ounces when they are born, and the female will meticulously tend to them for the first couple of weeks. During this time, the family will be dependent on the male to supply food, so he will spend long hours hunting. Therefore, it is not uncommon to see a weary fox out during the day trying to make ends meet for his hungry family.  

Around 5- 6 weeks after birth, the youngsters will begin to travel short distances outside the den. This timing is usually in late April/early May in our area. As the kits get older, they will travel further away. It’s not uncommon to see the kits out on their own, but the parents generally are not farther than earshot away. Interestingly enough, it is not unusual for shoes, pet toys, and other objects left outdoors to go missing as foxes will take them to play with. I have found all sorts of things from gardening gloves to Crocs to underwear outside of active dens during kit season!

Like other wildlife, the top ways to help are to respect their space and to not feed them. As noted earlier, if you see foxes trying to den in or around structures, then the best thing to do is exclude them with fencing or other means before kits are born. It’s also important to note that foxes, like other wildlife, need habitat and not handouts. Feeding foxes can create dependencies and can cause them to congregate, making it easier for them to pass disease to one another and to create conflicts with themselves and your neighbors. Give foxes and other wildlife a boost with native plants in your yard!