The swift fox can reach speeds of about 31 miles per hour, enabling him not only to catch prey but to escape predators. Because his running speed is the most advantageous adaptation for hunting, he hunts primarily at night, when it is cooler and he won't easily overheat with strenuous exercise. The diet of the swift fox varies by season and includes any live, small prey it can catch. Although technically an omnivore, the majority of the swift fox's diet is meat. The variety of prey eaten by the swift fox includes small mammals (prairie dogs and ground squirrels), birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, and insects.
