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What the sources say

Red FoxVulpes vulpes

Every figure, record and mechanism on the Red Fox profile was written from a source, and this is the working table behind it: 57 claims checked word for word against these sources. The left column is what the page says. The right column is the source's own words, copied, not paraphrased; a ... marks a cut and[brackets] an insertion. Open any source and check it yourself.

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Source
01

Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan

Vulpes vulpes (red fox). Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan.

The page saysan omnivore's habit of eating whatever is available
The source saysRed foxes are essentially omnivores.Note: tagline; 'omnivore'
The page saysForests, tundra, deserts, farmland, suburbs, and cities across much of the Northern Hemisphere, plus introduced populations in Australia
The source saysRed foxes utilize a wide range of habitats including forest, tundra, prairie, desert, mountains, farmlands, and urban areas.Note: stats.habitat; 'cities' is ADW's 'urban areas'
The page saysForests, tundra, deserts, farmland, suburbs, and cities across much of the Northern Hemisphere, plus introduced populations in Australia
The source saysRed foxes are found throughout much of the northern hemisphereNote: stats.habitat; 'across much of the Northern Hemisphere'
The page saysForests, tundra, deserts, farmland, suburbs, and cities across much of the Northern Hemisphere, plus introduced populations in Australia
The source saysRed foxes have also been introduced to Australia and the Falkland Islands.Note: stats.habitat; the Australia clause
The page saysMostly rodents, rabbits, insects, and fruit, plus birds and carrion; extra food is cached when hunting is good
The source saysThey mostly eat rodents, eastern cottontail rabbits, insects, and fruit. They will also eat carrion.Note: stats.diet
The page saysMostly rodents, rabbits, insects, and fruit, plus birds and carrion; extra food is cached when hunting is good
The source saysAnimal Foods birds mammals reptiles carrionNote: stats.diet; birds sit in ADW's Animal Foods list, not its 'mostly' list, so they go after 'plus'
The page sayshas a head and body about 46 to 90 centimeters long, a tail up to about 56 centimeters
The source saysHead and body length ranges from 455 to 900 mm, tail length from 300 to 555 mmNote: converted mm to cm and rounded: 45.5-90 cm, 30-55.5 cm
The page saysa weight of 3 to 14 kilograms, with males slightly larger than females
The source saysweight from 3 to 14 kg. Males are slightly larger than females.
The page saysa fox goes still, listens hard, then leaps high and drives its front paws straight down to pin the prey
The source saysThe fox stands motionless, listening and watching intently for a mouse it has detected. It then leaps high and brings the forelimbs straight down forcibly to pin the mouse to the ground.
The page saysFoxes mostly eat rodents, rabbits, insects, and fruit, and they'll also eat carrion
The source saysThey mostly eat rodents, eastern cottontail rabbits, insects, and fruit. They will also eat carrion.
The page saysRed foxes are found across much of the Northern Hemisphere, from the Arctic Circle to Central America, the steppes of central Asia, and northern Africa
The source saysRed foxes are found throughout much of the northern hemisphere from the Arctic circle to Central America, the steppes of central Asia, and northern Africa.
The page saysPeople have also introduced them to Australia and the Falkland Islands.
The source saysRed foxes have also been introduced to Australia and the Falkland Islands.
The page saysA red fox's head and body run about 46 to 90 centimeters long, plus a tail up to about 56 centimeters
The source saysHead and body length ranges from 455 to 900 mm, tail length from 300 to 555 mmNote: converted mm to cm and rounded
The page saysit weighs 3 to 14 kilograms
The source saysRange mass 3 to 14 kg
The page sayswith males slightly larger than females
The source saysMales are slightly larger than females.
The page saysThey were introduced there.
The source saysRed foxes have also been introduced to Australia and the Falkland Islands.Note: FAQ 4 opener
The page saysfor a hunter that stands motionless listening for a mouse, then leaps high and brings its front paws straight down to pin it
The source saysThe fox stands motionless, listening and watching intently for a mouse it has detected. It then leaps high and brings the forelimbs straight down forcibly to pin the mouse to the ground.Note: vibe.reason, settled in #181
The page saysIt is the largest of the true foxes
The source saysRed foxes are the largest of the Vulpes species.Note: #244: the '(genus Vulpes)' gloss; agrees with the 2025 NPS page

Source
02

Alaska Department of Fish and Game

Red Fox. Alaska Department of Fish and Game.

The page saysMostly rodents, rabbits, insects, and fruit, plus birds and carrion; extra food is cached when hunting is good
The source saysFoxes cache excess food when the hunting is good.Note: stats.diet; the caching clause
The page saysAlaska's Department of Fish and Game lists its lifespan as 3 years.
The source saysFast Facts Size Weight: 6-15 lbs Body Length: 22-32 inches Tail Length: 14-16 inches Lifespan 3 yearsNote: scoped to the Alaska agency that states it; ADW's range-wide wild average is old and its own AnAge rows disagree (wild 7.0, captivity 15.0), so no range-wide lifespan is given
The page saysThey cache extra food when hunting is good, and have been seen coming back to dig up a cache, check it, and rebury it in the same spot.
The source saysFoxes cache excess food when the hunting is good. They return to these storage sites and have been observed digging up a cache, inspecting it, and reburying it in the same spot.

Source
03

National Wildlife Federation

Red Fox. National Wildlife Federation.

The page saysFluffy white-tipped tail
The source saysOne of the most noticeable characteristics of the red fox is the fluffy white-tipped tail.Note: tagline
The page saysan omnivore's habit of eating whatever is available
The source saysred foxes will readily eat whatever is availableNote: tagline
The page saysForests, tundra, deserts, farmland, suburbs, and cities across much of the Northern Hemisphere, plus introduced populations in Australia
The source saysRed foxes like open areas in woodlands, rural and suburban neighborhoods, wetlands, and brushy fields.Note: stats.habitat; 'suburbs'
The page saysEars That Hear Digging
The source saysRed foxes have excellent hearing. They can hear low-frequency sounds and rodents digging underground.Note: blockquote lead-in
The page saysRed foxes have excellent hearing. They can hear low-frequency sounds and rodents digging underground.
The source saysRed foxes have excellent hearing. They can hear low-frequency sounds and rodents digging underground.Note: blockquote fact board
The page saysAn Omnivore That Eats Whatever Is Available
The source saysred foxes will readily eat whatever is availableNote: heading
The page saysBeing solitary makes it easy for a fox to hide from people
The source saysRed foxes are solitary, so it is easy for them to hide and escape people.
The page sayswhile other large predators have been pushed away from human development, red foxes have taken advantage of the changed habitat
The source saysWhile other large predators have been pushed away from human development, red foxes took advantage of the changed habitat.
The page saysliving in parks and woodland edges
The source saysThey live in parks and woodland edges
The page saysWhatever is available.
The source saysred foxes will readily eat whatever is available
The page saysRed foxes prefer rodents and rabbits, but they will also eat birds, amphibians, and fruit
The source saysRed foxes prefer rodents and rabbits, but they will also eat birds , amphibians , and fruit.
The page saysthey'll steal food from garbage cans or farms too
The source saysRed foxes will also steal food from garbage cans or farms.

Source
04

AnAge: The Animal Ageing and Longevity Database, Build 15 2023

AnAge entry for Vulpes vulpes. AnAge: The Animal Ageing and Longevity Database, Build 15, 2023.

The page saysIn captivity one can live far longer: the AnAge longevity database records a wild-born female still alive at an estimated 21.3 years.
The source saysOne wild born female was still living in captivity at an estimated 21.3 years of ageNote: AnAge Build 15 (2023), maximum longevity 21.3 years (captivity); 'far longer' is against ADFG's 3-year lifespan in the sentence before

Source
05

Colorado Parks and Wildlife

Red Fox. Colorado Parks and Wildlife.

The page sayscan run at about 48 kilometers per hour
The source saysRed fox can run at speeds of 30 miles per hourNote: #244: 30 mph is 48.3 km/h; Oklahoma's ODWC field guide (live 2026) says 'around 30 mph' too, and both agree with ADW's older 'Top speed is about 48 km/h'

Source
06

U.S. National Park Service 2025

Species Spotlight: Red Fox. U.S. National Park Service, 2025.

The page saysIt is the largest of the true foxes
The source saysEven though it is the largest member of the “true foxes”Note: #244: NPS Species Spotlight, last updated January 15, 2025, is the current source the date rule asks for beside ADW's rank

Source
07

Červený et al. 2011

Červený et al. (2011). Directional preference may enhance hunting accuracy in foraging foxes. Biology Letters.

The page saysa pounce that may be aimed using Earth's magnetic field
The source saysWe suggest that this directional preference represents a case of magnetic alignment and enhances the precision of hunting attacks.Note: tagline; 'may' carries the paper's 'suggest'
The page saysWhen a red fox hunts under snow or in tall grass, its successful pounces are tightly clustered to the north, while leaps in other directions mostly miss.
The source saysWhen foxes are hunting in high vegetation and under snow cover, successful attacks are tightly clustered to the north, while attacks in other directions are largely unsuccessful.Note: stats.superpower
The page saysThe Fox's Northward Pounce
The source sayssuccessful attacks are tightly clustered to the northNote: heading
The page saysWhen it hunts mice and other small animals hidden under snow or in tall grass
The source saysRed foxes hunting small animals show a specific behaviour known as 'mousing'.Note: 'mice' from ADW's 'Red foxes have a characteristic manner of hunting mice'
The page saysWhen it hunts mice and other small animals hidden under snow or in tall grass
The source saysin high vegetation or under snow where it cannot be detected with visual cuesNote: 'hidden under snow or in tall grass'
The page saysfoxes tend to leap in a roughly northeast direction
The source saysFoxes on the prowl tend to direct their jumps in a roughly north-eastern compass direction.
The page sayswhen they're hunting prey they can't see, under snow or in tall vegetation, successful pounces are tightly clustered to the north, while jumps in other directions mostly miss
The source saysWhen foxes are hunting in high vegetation and under snow cover, successful attacks are tightly clustered to the north, while attacks in other directions are largely unsuccessful.Note: 'prey they can't see' is the abstract's 'cannot be detected with visual cues' in high vegetation or under snow
The page saysThe scientists suggest the fox is lining up the strike using Earth's magnetic field, a case of magnetic alignment that sharpens its aim.
The source saysWe suggest that this directional preference represents a case of magnetic alignment and enhances the precision of hunting attacks.Note: 'suggest' kept because the paper frames this as a hypothesis
The page saysPossibly.
The source saysWe suggest that this directional preference represents a case of magnetic alignment and enhances the precision of hunting attacks.Note: FAQ 1 opener; the paper's 'suggest'
The page saysWhen a fox is mousing in tall grass or under snow, it can't see its prey, and hearing seems to be how it pinpoints it.
The source saysHearing seems to be the primary sense for precise prey location in high vegetation or under snow where it cannot be detected with visual cues.
The page saysThe fox jumps high to surprise its prey from above.
The source saysThe fox jumps high, so that it surprises its prey from above.
The page saysfoxes tend to aim these jumps in a roughly northeast direction
The source saysFoxes on the prowl tend to direct their jumps in a roughly north-eastern compass direction.
The page sayswhen foxes hunt in tall grass or under snow, successful pounces are tightly clustered to the north, while jumps in other directions mostly miss
The source saysWhen foxes are hunting in high vegetation and under snow cover, successful attacks are tightly clustered to the north, while attacks in other directions are largely unsuccessful.
The page saysThey suggest this is a case of magnetic alignment that sharpens the fox's aim.
The source saysWe suggest that this directional preference represents a case of magnetic alignment and enhances the precision of hunting attacks.

Source
08

Statham et al. 2014

Statham et al. (2014). Range‐wide multilocus phylogeography of the red fox reveals ancient continental divergence, minimal genomic exchange and distinct demographic histories. Molecular Ecology.

The page saysIt is the world's most widely distributed wild land carnivore.
The source saysthe world's most widely distributed wild terrestrial carnivoreNote: replaces ADW's 'widest distribution of any canid', a record that rested on ADW alone

Source
09

Woinarski, Burbidge & Harrison 2015

Woinarski, Burbidge & Harrison (2015). Ongoing unraveling of a continental fauna: Decline and extinction of Australian mammals since European settlement. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The page saysAn Introduced Hunter in Australia
The source sayspredation by introduced species, particularly the feral cat, Felis catus, and European red fox, Vulpes vulpesNote: heading
The page saysOver the last 200 years or so, more than a tenth of the 273 land mammal species found only in Australia have gone extinct
The source sayssuffered an extraordinary rate of extinction (>10% of the 273 endemic terrestrial species) over the last ∼200 yNote: 'found only in Australia' is 'endemic'
The page saysscientists point to predation by introduced foxes and feral cats, together with changed fire patterns, as the most likely main cause
The source saysthe loss of Australian land mammals is most likely due primarily to predation by introduced species, particularly the feral cat, Felis catus, and European red fox, Vulpes vulpes, and changed fire regimes
The page sayspredation by introduced foxes and feral cats, along with changed fire patterns, as the most likely main reason
The source saysthe loss of Australian land mammals is most likely due primarily to predation by introduced species, particularly the feral cat, Felis catus, and European red fox, Vulpes vulpes, and changed fire regimes
The page saysmore than a tenth of the 273 land mammal species found only in Australia have gone extinct over the last 200 years or so
The source sayssuffered an extraordinary rate of extinction (>10% of the 273 endemic terrestrial species) over the last ∼200 yNote: 'found only in Australia' is 'endemic'

Source
10

Soulsbury 2025

Soulsbury (2025). Vulpes vulpes. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2025: e.T23062A223595579.

The page saysAs a species, though, the red fox is not threatened: the IUCN rates it Least Concern.
The source saysIUCN Red List category: Least Concern (LC).Note: same sentence closes the body and FAQ 4; Least Concern is outside the Red List's threatened categories

How the table was made: a writer drafted the profile from these sources and logged each claim with its quote, a reviewer with nothing but this table checked every sentence said no more than its quote, and a script confirmed each quote appears word for word in the source. The method is in the site'sAbout page.