Vixen screaming in May?

[james bennet]

Hi guys,

Any experience of this? I'd always read in books that vixens only ever call in mid-winter, with one even pouring scorn on television detective programmes (naming no names!) which always feature foxes calling on their soundtrack, even supposedly in mid-summer.

Well, went for a gorgeous evening walk yesterday and there was very definitely a vixen screaming her head off, and for over an hour; why would she be doing this at this time, and is it unusual?

[meinchewster]

Had the same last night here, though the vixen has cubs, I assume she was calling them or maybe even mating in readiness for a second litter later on in the year.

[Words]

Yes, we're still getting the occasional scream at night. It's not unusual.

[Ukwildlifeo]

A couple of nights ago there was a scream every 10 seconds or so for over an hour, which I assumed was a vixen trying to locate its cubs or something

[mbaldw]

I'd always read in books that vixens only ever call in mid-winter, with one even pouring scorn on television detective programmes (naming no names!) which always feature foxes calling on their soundtrack, even supposedly in mid-summer.

The screams are generally contact calls, so it's not unusual to hear them during the spring and summer, when there are cubs about. Foxes tend to be quieter outside of the winter (when call frequency increases owing to it being the breeding season and the lack of vegetation and clear nights increases the distance the call can potentially travel), but I heard quite a bit of late night calling last month and others have told me that they've heard calling in every month of the year.

Had the same last night here, though the vixen has cubs, I assume she was calling them or maybe even mating in readiness for a second litter later on in the year.

Red foxes are monoestrous and can only breed once per year (wild vixens are receptive for a few days between December and early February), so any calling is likely to be cub/group directed, rather than advertising to potential mates.

Cheers,
Marc.