Red Fox
(Vulpes vulpes)
Conservation • Description • Habitat • Ecology • Distribution • Taxonomy
Conservation Status
IUCN Red List
LC - Least Concern
NatureServe
N5 - Secure
SNR - Unranked
Minnesota
not listed
Description
Northern Plains Fox Vulpes Vulpes regalis), the Minnesota subspecies, is the largest North American subspecies of Red Fox. The fur (pelage) is yellowish-red. All four feet are black, appearing as black “socks”. The tail is very long and has a white tip The ears are very large and broad.
Size
Total length: 33″ to 41″
Tail: 11½″ to 15⅜″
Sign
Similar Species
Gray Fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus) pellage is mostly grizzled gray with areas of rusty-yellow. A black stripe runs down the top of the back and tail. The tip of the tail is black. The feet do not have black “socks”.
Habitat
A variety of habitats, usually semi-open to mature forest.
Ecology
Behavior
Lifespan
Average 3 years
Life Cycle
Food
Mostly mice and voles, but also other small animals, including rabbits and hares, woodchucks, ground and tree squirrels, muskrats, song and game birds, snakes, turtles, and frogs. In warm months they also eat insects and fruits.
Distribution |
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Sources Biodiversity occurrence data published by: Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas (accessed through the Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas Portal, bellatlas.umn.edu, 12/18/2025). Timm, R. M. 1975. Distribution, natural history, and parasites of mammals of Cook County, Minnesota. Occasional Papers, Bell Museum of Natural History, University of Minnesota 14:1–56. Hazard, Evan B. 1982. The Mammals of Minnesota. University of Minnesota Press, Minneapolis, Minnesota. 280 pp. The counties in light green lack modern records but have historic county or township specimens or records. |
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| 12/18/2025 | ||
Occurrence |
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Common and widespread |
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Taxonomy
Class
Subclass
Theria
Infraclass
Placentalia (Placental Mammals)
Magnorder
Boreoeutheria
Superorder
Laurasiatheria (Ungulates, Carnivorans, and Allies)
Order
Carnivora (Carnivorans)
Suborder
Caniformia (Dog-like Carnivores)
Infraorder
Cynoidea
Family
Canidae (Canids)
Subfamily
Caninae
Tribe
Vulpini
Genus
Vulpes (Typical Foxes)
Subordinate Taxa
There are 46 recognized subspecies of Red Fox (Vulpes Vulpes) worldwide. Only one, Northern Plains Fox Vulpes Vulpes regalis), is found in Minnesota. There is one report of the eastern subspecies American Red Fox (Vulpes Vulpes fulvus) in Minnesota. However, this report is from a museum specimen in 1892 and the location where it was collected was not recorded.
Afghan Red Fox (Vulpes Vulpes griffithi)
American Red Fox Vulpes Vulpes fulvus) 
Anadyr Fox Vulpes Vulpes beringiana)
Anatolian Fox Vulpes Vulpes anatolica)
Arabian Fox Vulpes Vulpes arabica)
Atlas Fox Vulpes Vulpes atlantica)
Barbary Fox Vulpes Vulpes barbara)
British Columbian Fox Vulpes Vulpes abietorum)
Cascade Mountain Fox Vulpes Vulpes cascadensis)
Cyprus Fox Vulpes Vulpes indutus)
Eastern Trans-Caucasian Fox (Vulpes Vulpes alpherakyi)
European Fox Vulpes Vulpes crucigera)
Hill Fox Vulpes Vulpes montana)
Iberian Fox Vulpes Vulpes silacea)
Japanese Fox Vulpes Vulpes japonica)
Karaganka Fox Vulpes Vulpes karagan)
Kenai Peninsula Fox Vulpes Vulpes kenaiensis)
Kodiak Fox Vulpes Vulpes harrimani)
Korean Fox (Vulpes Vulpes peculiosa)
Kurile Island Fox Vulpes Vulpes splendidissima)
Labrador Fox Vulpes Vulpes bangsi)
Newfoundland Fox Vulpes Vulpes deletrix)
Nile Fox Vulpes Vulpes niloticus)
North Caucasian Fox Vulpes Vulpes caucasica)
Northern Alaskan Fox Vulpes Vulpes alascensis)
Northern Chinese Fox Vulpes Vulpes tschiliensis)
Northern Plains Fox Vulpes Vulpes regalis)
Nova Scotia Fox Vulpes Vulpes rubricosa)
Palestinian Fox Vulpes Vulpes palaestina)
Red Fox Fox Vulpes Vulpes dorsalis)
Sacramento Valley Red Fox (Vulpes Vulpes patwin)
Sakhalin Fox Vulpes Vulpes schrencki)
Sardinian Fox Vulpes Vulpes ichnusae)
Scandinavian Red Fox Vulpes Vulpes vulpes)
Sierra Nevada Red Fox Vulpes Vulpes necator)
Southern Chinese Fox Vulpes Vulpes hoole)
Steppe Fox Vulpes Vulpes stepensis)
Tobol'sk Fox Vulpes Vulpes tobolica)
Trans-Baikal Fox Vulpes Vulpes daurica)
Trans-Caucasian Montane Fox (Vulpes Vulpes kurdistanica)
Turkestan Fox Vulpes Vulpes ochroxantha)
Turkmenian Fox Vulpes Vulpes flavescens)
Ussuri Fox Vulpes Vulpes dolichocrania)
Wasatch Mountain Fox Vulpes Vulpes macroura)
White-footed Fox Vulpes Vulpes pusilla)
Yakutsk Fox Vulpes Vulpes jakutensis)
Synonyms
Canis vulpes
Vulpes palmaria
Common Names
Cross Fox
Red Fox
Glossary
Pelage
The coat of a mammal, consisting of fur, wool, or hair, and including a soft undercoat and stiff guard hairs.
Visitor Photos
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Luciearl |
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Ramona Abrego |
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Captive Fox |
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Wild fox on the Gunflint Trail |
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Norm & Peg Dibble |
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Beautiful Red Fox looking for a treat at our back door January 2018. First sighting ever was Christmas Eve! What a treat. It came by every day for quite a while so we have many photos and films. |
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Resting in the frozen pond area waiting for another treat. It was strange to watch him curl up and sleep in plain sight, but he probably had one eye open. He is so gorgeous! |
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MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos
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Slideshows
Vulpes vulpes (Red Fox)
Allen Chartier
Red Fox
Andy Reago & Chrissy McClarren
Visitor Videos
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Other Videos
Fox Dives Headfirst Into Snow | North America
Discovery
Moocher Red Fox at Minnesota Scenic State Park.
douginda44's channel
Scream of the Red Fox
dan izzo
North Dakota Red Fox pups
jednpep
Visitor Sightings
Report a sighting of this mammal.
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Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com.
Be sure to include a location.
Luciearl
4/11/2021
Location: Cass County
John Valo
9/9/2018
Location: Burnsville, MN
I was startled awake at 1:25 this morning by a noise in the back yard. It sounded at first like a woman’s scream, about one and a half seconds long. After a ten second pause it was repeated. Again. And again. Then it became a long (one and a half second) scream followed by three shorter ones. After a ten second pause, that was repeated. Again. And again. I thought it may be a squirrel or rabbit being attacked by a Red Fox I have seen around. It turns out to have been the fox itself. Here is a link to Popular Science article of a screaming fox.
Norm & Peg Dibble
January 2018
Location: Maple Grove, MN
Beautiful Red Fox looking for a treat at our back door January 2018. First sighting ever was Christmas Eve! What a treat. It came by every day for quite a while so we have many photos and films.
Ramona Abrego
2/20/2017
Location: Gunflint Trail
Wild fox on the Gunflint Trail
Minnesota Seasons Sightings
