title

Seasonal variation in red fox (Vulpes vulpes) diet across agricultural and forest habitats in central Hungary

author(s)

Ishtvan Zhelitski (orcid: 0000-0001-5781-9509)

affiliation

Ferenc Rákóczi II Transcarpathian Hungarian University (Berehovo, Ukraine);
Uzhhorod National University (Uzhhorod, Ukraine)

bibliography

Theriologia Ukrainica. 2025. Vol. 30: 142–151.

DOI

language

English, with Ukrainian summary, titles of tables, captures to figs

abstract

We investigated how seasonal and site-specific differences in food abundance affect the feeding habits of the red fox (Vulpes vulpes). To address this question, we analysed 356 scats collected over three years at four localities of central Hungary, representing distinct habitat types. This design enabled us to evaluate how temporal fluctuations and habitat heterogeneity influence feeding ecology. Food availability was assessed by estimating prey density with complementary methods. Small-mammal populations were surveyed by the capture-mark-recapture method, while the relative abundance of larger mammals was estimated through track counts. These data provided a background against which dietary preferences and flexibility could be assessed. We examined both the occurrence and the volume ratio of major diet categories by site and season. Overall, the red fox diet was dominated by mammals (about 51.1%), followed by plants (~22.1%), insects (~14.8%), birds (~11.7%), while reptiles and amphibians occurred in negligible amounts (~0.3%). At one locality, dietary data were directly compared with prey availability to test whether diet composition reflected resource abundance. Results revealed pronounced seasonal shifts: small rodents, especially Microtus arvalis (~15.6%) and Sylvaemus sylvaticus (~18.6%), were the staple food throughout the year, yet other resources gained importance in different seasons. In summer, insects were frequently consumed, while in autumn fruits and other plant materials became dominant. These changes closely followed the natural fluctuations of resource availability. Site-related differences were also detected. At the three localities dominated by juniper and poplar, dietary composition showed remarkable similarity, whereas the site dominated by oak presented distinct patterns, suggesting the role of vegetation structure and prey communities. A striking case was recorded at one locality where a goose farm was present: bird feathers occurred frequently in scats during this period but decreased sharply after farming ceased. Overall, the findings emphasise the opportunistic nature of the red fox. Its ability to adjust diet composition to both temporal and spatial changes in food supply underlines its ecological flexibility, which enhances survival in dynamic and human-modified landscapes.

keywords

food availability, food choice, food supply, opportunistic predator, seasonal changes, spatial differences

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