I was checking the wildlife cameras today, mostly deer – lots of deer – but this guy came by too and I thought he was too big to be a fox so I asked ChatGPT.
It said …
That is a fox, and from its shape and markings, it appears to be a gray fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus). 🦊
A few clues in your nighttime photo:
- Large pointed ears
- Short, somewhat stocky legs rather than the long legs of a coyote
- Bushy tail, with a darker/blackish tip
- Grayish overall coat
- The compact body and low posture are characteristic of a gray fox
It “enhanced” the image for me
But then I asked for it to just “sharpen” the photo
Kind of interesting!
Yes, a rarity, grey foxes! I bet you will be noticing fewer squirrels, mice and chipmunks as a result. Very lucky!
We’ll be in Maine starting this coming Saturday, up near Acadia NP. Really looking forward to it!
Ceci
Looks like a who knows to me. The legs look more fox like but…
I looked it up with your photo and Siri said coyote… I think size is critical and tough to tell from the photo. Grey foxes get up to 15 lbs while a small coyote is at least 20. Coyotes do have freakishly long lanky legs though. How fun to have so much wildlife around!
I dug deeper… I think coyote. Foxes are lower to the ground, almost like a cat, their snouts are pointy but shorter, and most noticeably, their tails are huge, like half the length of the rest of their body, and they have a dark stripe running down in addition to the dark tip. This guy has a long snout, pretty tall skinny legs, and a wimpy tail compared to a fox. Check out this post on Facebook, and scroll down in the comments to where a guy named Roderick shows a black and white night photo of each animal. Makes it very clear! 🦊🐺🐶
https://www.facebook.com/groups/MAINEAnimals/posts/3542040342602057/