While popular culture often portrays foxes as primarily rabbit prey, their diet is far more diverse. These highly adaptable animals are opportunistic foragers, their diets varying depending on their location, season, and food availability. Fox species include the red fox , fennec fox , grey fox , civet , and Arctic fox . The red fox is the most widely distributed carnivore globally, inhabiting regions of Europe , Asia , North America , and the United Kingdom .
What do foxes eat?
Foxes are omnivores with a diverse diet. Their food includes small mammals , birds , reptiles , frogs , eggs , insects , worms , fish , crabs , mollusks , and various plant-based foods such as fruits , berries , vegetables , seeds , fungi , and carrion . Here are some examples of how their diet changes seasonally:
| season | Preferred food |
|---|---|
| winter | Mammals, such as mice , rabbits and other small animals |
| autumn | Fruits and berries (e.g., blackberries , apples , persimmons ), acorns , sedges , and tubers |
| summer | Insects (e.g., crickets , beetles , caterpillars ), frogs , mice |
| spring | Bird eggs, earthworms |
How foxes hunt
Foxes are hunters at dusk , meaning they are most active at dawn and dusk , but they can hunt at any time. They rely on keen hearing and an excellent sense of smell to detect prey. Foxes are known for their stealth skills, typically using a combination of pounce and digging to capture prey, especially when hunting burrowing animals such as rodents or rabbits. When hunting larger animals like rabbits , they will stalk until their prey is close enough, then wait for the animal to start running before striking.
How fox cubs learn to hunt
Fox cubs begin by suckling their mother's milk. When they are about a month old, the mother regurgitates her own food (such as small mammals and insects ) to feed them. As they grow, they are allowed to leave the den to play , during which time the mother teaches them basic hunting skills by taking small live prey such as mice , frogs , and grasshoppers . Eventually, the cubs accompany their mother on hunts, where they learn tracking and ambush. They also observe their mother storing food in a stash for later consumption.
Diet of rural foxes and urban foxes
Due to human activity , the diet of urban foxes differs significantly from that of rural foxes. In urban areas, food sources are abundant, including rats , large rats , and roadside dead animals . Urban foxes are more likely to feed on rats , pigeons , and scavenged food such as pet food, bread, and scraps left for birds. As opportunistic foragers, urban foxes will also raid garbage cans for edible materials.
In contrast, rural foxes rely more on hunting small mammals and foraging for fruits and berries in the wild. While both urban and rural foxes are opportunistic in their feeding habits, urban foxes have easier access to food sources provided by humans, which makes their diets more diverse.
| Fox type | Main diet |
|---|---|
| City Fox | Rats , pigeons , pet food, bread, garbage |
| Country Fox | Small mammals , fruits , berries , insects |
in conclusion
Foxes are highly adaptable omnivores , feeding on a variety of foods, from small mammals and insects to fruits and carrion. Whether living in rural or urban environments, foxes demonstrate remarkable flexibility in their feeding habits. From tracking to pouncing , their hunting skills are crucial for capturing prey in the wild. Urban foxes, in particular, have an even more diverse diet, utilizing food left by humans and scavenging garbage . As opportunistic predators , foxes thrive in different environments, showcasing their resilience and adaptability.
