A Cacophony of Canines
- racheljbielby
- May 15
- 4 min read
[Disclaimer: You might want to reduce the sound on your media device when listening to the latter of these videos...otherwise you'll definitely get some funny looks!]
So, we've been making the fatal mistake [again] of leaving the peanut feeder outside overnight. Despite the fact that the original target audience for this facility was the squirrels, it has been relentlessly used by other occupants. Although some are polite and have been using the lidded system correctly [hedgehogs/mice/squirrels/magpies/pigeons...and a singular fox]...others are simply vandals..
It's difficult to be completely sure, but I think we get visited by about 3 different fox individuals [possibly 4].
There's 'Chunky' - a rather robust character, with some interesting markings and complete disregard for peanut feeder etiquette [above and below]. Probably male on the basis that they tend to be bigger.
Then there's 'Straight-tail' who has been with us since last year. Not sure if they sustained an injury or whether it's a kind of birth defect, but they seem to hold their tail very straight [like a diagonal line]. Unfortunately seems to have picked up a limp on the hind leg. Only one capable of opening the peanut feeder like a responsible citizen.
Last but not least is 'Skinny' [below] who impressively appears to have survived the winter although still looks gaunt. Possibly a vixen, definitely the most scared, submissive of the lot.
Aside from a disregard for private property, we don't have too much trouble from the foxes. They don't bother the hedgehogs and are too well fed throughout the street to bother the mice.
However, all this changed early one May morning...around 4am when we were awoken to the most horrendous yapping and unearthly screaming. I assumed it was 'just' the foxes having a fight, although it seemed an unusual time of year for it. Typically, vixens scream to the males in February [alerting them to their readiness to mate] and aside from a few scuffles over dominance, foxes typically avoid violence. Fortunately, we'd had the camera on that night - as it made for some interesting viewing!
The incident appears to involve Straight-tail [ST] and Chunky [C] [but it's hard to determine]. In the first sequence ST approached C who is eating peanuts. Apparently in 'fox etiquette' this is a massive no-no; you should never approach another fox who is eating. This is why C raises hackles, pins back their ears and literally gapes at ST. C then does their best to push ST away, using their tail to bash them! This is a dominance behaviour - basically trying to put the interloper in their place! ST is very persistent and keeps trying even when C has nipped them on the leg.
The second sequence takes place in the upper right section of the screen. Two individuals [probably still ST and C] appear facing each other off before it breaks into what is literally called 'the foxtrot'. In doing some research to interpret the fox behaviour in these clips, something that came up often was the idea of 'ritualised' fighting. This is where the foxes are essentially 'going through the motions' of a fight, but have no intension of doing damage. Apparently, this is characterised by having erect ears, rather than the more serious fighting where the ears are flat along the back/head. The camera angle isn't great for this, but the fox that walks towards the camera makes a great display of then shaking their head and then raising their ears. This leads me to assume that there was nothing ritualised about this dance.
In the third sequence, one of the pair has wandered off, but not far enough away for the other's liking. Cue much gekkering [screaming and bickering] sounding uncannily human. Rather unnerving and unsettling at 4am!! Both show dominating behaviour, but don't want to get more involved. It's possible these were once littermates, but they're just fighting over food. Alternatively they could be a breeding pair [as both will display dominance stances]. Its interesting how neither of the pair adopt a submissive stance [rolling over, displaying their underside].
In the final sequence one of the pair has succeeded in learning better manners, although not managing their anger management issues. The extra observant of you will notice another animal skulking away on the right side of the screen. I'd assume a cat, but could potentially be another fox who definitely does NOT want to get involved in a domestic incidence!
All in all, its really quite fabulous footage. I do find it really surprising that the foxes are fighting over a pile of peanuts; a] because I know a lot of other households in the street put out food for wildlife [including the chicken eggs that get buried in the garden], and b] the foxes tend to have their own 'shift patterns' in that they circulate the gardens according to their own schedule - presumably so they deliberately don't encounter other foxes. Perhaps fewer people are putting food out, or possibly we're reaching maximum capacity for fox territories.
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