The grey fox occurs throughout most of the southern half of North America from southern Canada to northern Venezuela and Colombia.
Grey foxes resemble small, gracile dogs with bushy tails.
They are distinguished from most other canids by their grizzled upperparts, buff neck and black-tipped tail. The skull can be distinguished from all other North American canids by its widely separated temporal ridges that form a U-shape. Males are slightly larger than females. The grey fox is a solitary hunter and eats a wide variety of food. The breeding season of grey foxes varies geographically.