Photo Credit: Gerald and Buff Corsi © California Academy of
Sciences SCIENTIFIC NAME: Vulpes vulpes OTHER NAMES: Dependent
on color phase: cross fox, silver fox DESCRIPTION: The red fox
is generally a reddish color with a white underbelly, chin and
throat. It has a long, black, bushy tail with a white tip. The
backs of their ears, lower legs and feet are also black. The
majority of red foxes are reddish however, different color
phases do occur. The color phases include a black phase, black
with silver tipped guard hairs (silver fox), reddish brown with
a dark cast across the shoulders (cross fox), and an
intermediate phase. No matter the color variation, all red foxes
have the distinctive white-tipped tail. DISTRIBUTION: The red
fox is distributed throughout most of the United States and
Canada. Only some of the southwestern United States is excluded
from its range. The red fox occurs throughout Alabama. Fur
harvest records indicate red foxes occur in greater abundance in
the northern half of the state. HABIT