Vocalisation
There are many different fox sounds, meaning many different things when they are communicating with each other.
'Wow-wow-wow' barks are mostly heard during the winter but can be heard regularly each evening up until May. They can also be heard from young cubs when first venturing from the earth.
Single yells - 'whooaa' - are usually heard during early winter but can be heard any time of year.
It is still difficult to understand the meaning of them fully. My own theory is that they are both used as contact calls and from rearing orphaned cubs I know that both 'wow wow' and single yells 'whooaa' would be used when they were hungry and calling for food.
During the summer, single yells are used by the adults to warn cubs of danger from an intruder, such as man. Other sounds made are growls, screams, ghekkering, hiccuping, whining and a number of other eerie indescribable noises. Some foxes are more vocal in certain areas than others. We have no explanation for this. Loud constant wails can be heard at the peak of the mating period, often when a pair are copulating.
It is a good idea to keep a diary of when and where barking is heard during the winter months plus any other vocalisation throughout the year. Note the time and date for each evening when barking is heard and this will give you a pattern of the foxes' movements after a time and you will learn at what times of year barking is mostly heard and how vocal foxes are in a certain area.
