Silver fox

A black-and-silver color morph of the red fox, not a separate species.

Field guide

A black-and-silver color morph of the red fox, not a separate species.

Identification

Shared features

Dark fur with silver-tipped guard hairs and a bushy tail; body shape remains that of a red fox.

Male

This silver-coated red fox morph occurs in both sexes. Males average larger but the dark coat and silver-tipped hairs do not reveal sex.

Female

Females can have the same nearly black, silver-tipped coat and bushy tail. Color and size alone cannot reliably distinguish a vixen from a male.

Habitat

Open woods, brushy farmland and field edges with small-mammal prey.

Where to look during the day

Morning

At dawn, scan grassy edges and tracks after overnight hunting.

Afternoon

In the afternoon, foxes often shelter in brush or near a den.

Evening

At dusk, watch open edges as hunting resumes.

Sounds

It shares red fox barks, yelps and sharp screams; the recording is a red fox.

Recorded calls

Red fox call (silver fox is a color morph)

Field recording of a red fox; the silver fox is a coat morph of the same species. A narrower call type or the caller's sex is not assigned to this clip.

NPS / Shan Burson · Recording source

Natural history source: Read the source

Bag limits

Bag and possession summaries.

-No bag limit or possession limit.

Official bag-limit source