Macroscopic prey remains in the winter diet of foxes Vulpes vulpes in rural Britain

Abstract

1. The winter diet of foxes Vulpes vulpes was quantified in seven landscape types in Britain, using faecal samples from 87 sites. 2. Medium-sized mammals (0.1-5.0 kg) were consistently the most important prey group in arable and pastural landscapes, occurring in 44-72% of scats and comprising 50-75% of the mass of prey ingested. Birds and small mammals ( < 0.1 kg) were important secondary prey groups. 3. Small mammals were the most frequently recorded prey group in marginal upland (42% of scats) and upland landscapes (75%), followed by large mammals (33% and 23%, respectively). In terms of mass ingested, small mammals (38%) and large mammals (52%) were the most important prey groups in these landscapes. 4. In all landscapes, field voles Microtus agrestis , lagomorphs, sheep/deer and passerines/ galliforms dominated their respective prey groupings.

Farming for pests? Local and landscape-scale effects of grassland management on rabbit densities

“…However, it is likely that in our sites predator control was implemented irrespective of rabbit densities due to the local economic importance of pheasant and grouse shooting for which fox control represents a key management practice even at low predator density (Trout and Tittensor 1989). The fact that lagomorphs, most likely rabbits, represent the most important prey item in fox diets in the UK (Webbon et al 2006) and the observed impact of fox control on rabbit populations (Banks et al 1998) supports our finding of higher rabbit densities in areas with fox control, and suggests that this relationship is causal.…”

Short Note: Observations from Video Footage of Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes) Activity Within a Grey Seal (Halichoerus grypus) Breeding Colony on the UK Mainland

“…The red fox has a renowned generalist diet and is known to forage opportunistically (Leckie et al, 1998;Webbon et al, 2006). Although we acknowledge that we do not present clear evidence of scavenging or predation by red foxes, it is likely that the foxes were foraging within the breeding colony and could have been scavenging on seal placentae (approximately 3 kg each) or on dead or starving pups.…”

“…It is well-documented that red fox populations suffer higher mortality rates during the winter, which occurs immediately prior to the onset of their breeding period (Heydon et al, 2000;Webbon et al, 2006). Consequently, food availability at this time of year is likely to have an important influence on pre-breeding numbers.…”

“…Consequently, food availability at this time of year is likely to have an important influence on pre-breeding numbers. Although the diet of red foxes in the UK over the winter period is diverse, there is no evidence that red foxes feed on grey seals (Leckie et al, 1998; Webbon et al, 2006). However, the most comprehensive of these studies collected scat samples (which were used to identify hard tissue) between February and March 1999 and 2000 (Webbon et al, 2006), which is shortly after the grey seal breeding season at Donna Nook.…”

Factors affecting the diet of the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) in a heterogeneousMediterranean landscape

“…During this period, the red fox prefers to prey upon species with higher biomass compensation in order to feed its cubs (Lindström, 1994;Tapper, 1995a, 1995b;Kauhala and Helle, 2000), while Lovari and Parigi (1995) found that although adult foxes preyed on bigger species, they tended to feed their cubs with smaller prey. In addition, hares are usually captured in pastures, meadows, and open agricultural land (Webbon et al, 2006;Hartová-Nentvichová et al, 2010). Wild boar was preyed upon similarly across habitats and seasons, showing only a significant temporal decrease in the red fox's diet during the third year of the study.…”