table of contents
- reasons for vocalizations
- Lots of different sounds
- screams
- bark
- whining
- growl
- frequently asked Questions
Dogs bark, cats meow, birds chirp, squirrels cackle – but how does the fox actually do it? In fact, the domestic fox makes a variety of different noises from soft whimpering to piercing screams.
In a nutshell
- more than 30 different sounds, each with different meanings
- typical expressions: whimpering, growling, barking, screaming
- high-pitched screaming common during mating season by females
- serves to attract the males
- Males respond with so-called rancid barking
reasons for vocalizations
Although red foxes are loners, they communicate with each other for a variety of reasons. So the fox often makes noises for the following reasons.
pairing
Screaming and barking noises are commonly heard from a fox during the mating season and can be heard over long distances. The female foxes, called vixens, lure the males with loud, shrill screams. The latter respond with hoarse barks.
territorial defence
However, the shrill cries can also be heard when a strange fox enters the territory and should be warned. A fox defends its territory in this way and indicates that the stranger has no business here.
communication
Foxes are usually solitary and live alone. However, littermates often look for neighboring ones territories and like to stay close to their parents. Sometimes these family members communicate with each other by shouting loudly, so they always know each other's whereabouts.
fear
Foxes also scream when they are scared. This can have many reasons, for example because they feel cornered or because they are threatened by enemies. In Germany, the fox has few enemies apart from humans, only fox cubs can be captured by birds of prey or wolves.
Besides these four, there are many other reasons for vocalizations in foxes. This can include greetings among familiar adults, but also communication sounds between a female and her puppies.
Notice: At "Danger Imminent," the wyvern lets out a hoarse bark, prompting the pups to disappear into the burrow. This can vary in loudness: sometimes it sounds like a cough, sometimes (when the young foxes have moved a little further away) but also like a high-pitched, dog-like bark.
Lots of different sounds
A fox has a large repertoire of different noises and can make up to 30 different sounds. Some of these can frighten walkers in the forest or, especially during mating season, can annoy local residents. You don't even have to live near the forest, because Master Reineke, as a follower of culture, now even lives in the big city.
screams
A screaming fox has frightened many a walker, as this sound is often reminiscent of human cries of pain or the cries of an infant. Typical is the screaming of the red fox
- very high
- hoarse sounding
- monosyllabic
- repeated at intervals of up to ten seconds
Foxes not only screech to attract each other during the mating season, but also to scare away unwelcome rivals or intruders from their own territory. Explosive, short screams are often uttered by males competing for females, who want to express their aggressiveness towards each other and persuade the opponent to give up.
Notice: Since foxes are twilight resp. are nocturnal, you can see their screams especially listening at night.
bark
The only fox native to Germany, the red fox (Vulpes vulpes), belongs to the canid family (Caniformia) and is therefore related to the wolf and our domestic dog. Thus, the fox can be called a wild dog. Barking is characteristic of many canines, which of course is also emitted by the fox for different reasons:
- Ranzbark during the mating season
- threatening barking between male rivals
- Barking in defense of territory
- to greet old animals
- in disputes among young foxes
Typically, the bark of a fox sounds much higher than that of a dog, after all the fox, which weighs a maximum of eight kilograms, is also much smaller and more delicate. Because of the fox's high pitch, many people confuse the sound with a cry owl. In the case of foxes, it is mainly the males that bark.
whining
Like our pet dog, foxes can whine to show their subservience to a superior animal. Although the animals are loners, they often share a territory and therefore build up a social hierarchy. This whimper sounds like a trill and can increase to the point of screaming.
growl
When foxes feel threatened, they growl and assume a threatening posture. They also have this in common with our dogs, which signal readiness to fight through this behavior. Therefore, it is better to avoid a snarling fox, even though the animals do not usually attack humans.
frequently asked Questions
Foxes mate during the winter months, so the characteristic mating calls are mostly heard between December and February. This time is also referred to as Ranz in the hunter language. During mating, the male and female spend some time together, but go their separate ways again before the young are born. After a gestation period of around 50 days, the vixen gives birth to up to six puppies and raises them alone.
Young foxes try out all the tones and noises that the adults also make. Typical for puppies, however, is a toneless cackle, which often sounds when playing or arguing. When frightened, the young animals let out a squeak or whimper towards their mother, but they also call her by screaming or barking.
During the mating season, the loud cries of the foxes can wake up many residents night after night and can therefore be quite annoying in the long run. That's why some people wonder if it's possible to stop the animals from screaming. Unfortunately, since the noises are part of the mating ritual, you cannot calm the foxes. It is best to close the windows at night and use earplugs.