Badger hole vs fox earth vs rabbit hole
Badger sett
20–30 cm · wider than tall
- Shape: a D on its side
- Holes: from 1 to more than 50
- Outside: big spoil heaps, often with old bedding; fresh bedding, especially in winter
- Nearby: broad worn paths, coarse grey-and-black hairs, latrine pits
Fox earth
About 20 cm · taller than wide
- Shape: taller than wide
- Holes: usually only a few
- Outside: food remains such as feathers and bones, mainly April to June when cubs are present
- Nearby: fresh digging in winter, ahead of spring cubs
Rabbit hole
10–15 cm · small and shallow
- Shape: small, sloping in at a shallow angle
- Holes: often many, in a large warren
- Outside: spoil, small round droppings and tufts of fur
- Nearby: closely grazed grass
Which clue is most reliable?
The entrance shape. A badger is broad and low, so its tunnels are wider than they are tall. A fox is taller and narrower. Size can mislead, because a fox may enlarge a rabbit hole. Look at several clues together.
What are the other signs of badgers nearby?
- Latrines: small dug pits used as toilets, often at the edge of the territory
- Footprints: a broad kidney-shaped pad with five toes in a row and long claw marks. Compare tracks
- Hairs: coarse, wiry hairs with a dark band, caught on fences or roots
- Snuffle holes: small cone-shaped scrapes where a badger has dug for worms and grubs
Can different animals share the same hole?
Yes. Foxes sometimes move into unused parts of a large badger sett. A hole with fox signs can still be part of an active badger sett, so treat any large set of holes with care.