What do foxes say?
Fox sounds tend to fall into four main categories: contact, aggression, alarm, and socialization.
A fox in the wild will use a variety of calls to communicate with other members of its group.
The type of sound a fox makes varies based on the situation, but there are some commonalities.
Foxes have an extensive vocabulary and will use different sounds for different purposes.
Different Types of Calls
The most commonly used vocalizations tend to be the contact call.
This sound is made when one fox wants to communicate with another member of its social group.
There’s also an aggressive sound, also called the threat bark, which is used to intimidate other animals.
The last one, the alarm call (or warning bark) sends out an alert that danger is nearby.
Foxes also use sounds for socialization.
They may whine or yip when playing with others or even with their kits.
The type of sound they make will change based on what they are doing at the time.
Non-Call Communication Cues
Foxes also have a variety of non-call communications methods, including postures and movements.
When greeting each other or play fighting, for example, one fox may perform the flehmen response, which involves curling back its lips to show its teeth while inhaling through its nose.
When scared or frightened, foxes may flatten their ears against their heads and freeze in position so they aren’t seen as potential prey by nearby predators.
Numerous animals communicate with vocalizations, but it’s hard to tell exactly what a fox is saying.
They may sound aggressive when they’re actually simply greeting another family member or making a request, and we might mistake a socialization call for one of alarm.
If you do manage to get close enough to hear what foxes are saying to each other, remember that you probably shouldn’t be there in the first place!
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