They are generally a mix of whitish and dark gray with sides, neck, lower flanks, and underside of the tail a rusty color. Gray foxes prefer woodland habitat and are not commonly found on farmland. Rocky brush land is ideal. The gray fox eats rodents, birds, insects, carrion, and is fond of cottontail rabbits. An unusual trait that the gray fox has that other wild dogs lack is its climbing ability, gray foxes will even climb trees .
Gray foxes make a permanent den in hollow trees, hole in sandy ground, or in a cavern in rocks.
The gray fox will commonly spend most of the day in the den, and be most active at night. Kits will begin to take solid food 6 weeks after birth and leave the family group in early fall. Originally a native to the great plains, the swift fox was basically eliminated from the great plains by the use of the chemical poison 1080. The substance was used by ranchers to kill predators until it was banned by President Richard Nixon in 1972. Today the swift fox is found primarily in the plains states of Montana, Colorado and a few other states and Canada and is making a slow comeback.