The Fox—Wonder Wedneday

Wonder WednesdayTOPO Land
Written By Molly Baker

Photo credit: Michigan DNR

It's WONDER Wednesday!

This week's WONDER is the fox. Fox sightings have been on the rise up in Northern Michigan and it's certainly a treat to catch a Vulpes vulpes (or Red Fox) in the wild. But have you been lucky enough to hear one of the fox's six distinctive vocalizations?

Next time you're out in the woods,
LISTEN FOR THESE:
🦊 🦊 🦊

  • WHINE If you hear this, you're most likely near hungry kits. It's a signal to their mother to get busy and feed them. And apparently, whining can also stimulate dad to pitch in.

  • YELP The sound of kits at play!

  • EXPLOSIVE CALL This high-pitched sound is made by kits to threaten intruders.

  • COMBATIVE CALL Basically a "just try me" call emitted when a conflict is brewing between adults.

  • GROWL Adults do this to get kits to straighten up and mind them.

  •  BARK Adult foxes bark to ward off intruders and guard their den.

Doesn't sound so different from humans, does it?

 
Molly Baker
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