coyotes 101

A close up of an eastern coyote with its lush brown fur and golden eyes

By Tianna Godsey, Events Coordinator

• Coyotes are part of the Canids family, brethren of wolves, foxes, jackals, wild dogs, dingoes, and our beloved domestic dogs. There are 19 sub-species.
• Latin for coyote, Canis latrans, translates to “barking dog.” Coyotes are also known as the American Jackal, prairie, or brush wolf.
• Distribution of coyotes today runs from Canada throughout Central America and is always expanding. In 2013, they crossed the Panama Canal for the first time.
• In folklore, Native American cultures portrayed the coyote as a trickster and rebel with humor and deception. But, after European colonization of the Americas, depictions of Coyote are of a cowardly and untrustworthy animal.
• Coyotes are smaller than wolves in size, but larger than foxes. The easiest way to determine a fox from a coyote is their height, as well as the length and size of the tail. A fox’s tail is almost as long as its body, while a coyote’s tail is much shorter. Foxes also have a much smaller snout and nose.
• Male coyotes can range from 18 to 44 pounds while females are 15 to 40 pounds. The largest coyote on record was 75 pounds, discovered in Wyoming.
• Pennsylvania is home to tens of thousands of coyotes. Even if you don’t see them, they are living among suburbs and forests. (Read our article here about Pennsylvania’s coyotes, also called coy wolves.)
• Coyotes begin to form their families in winter, when females enter estrus (emitting a scent to indicate they are ready to mate). Males are very respectful of females and will follow her until she decides a mate; they do not fight over her.
• They are monogamous, and pairs will bond for two to three months prior to mating. These pair bonds often last for many years.
• Litters of about six pups will be born around April. Baby coyotes are born with no vision and are completely helpless. Coyotes often practice alloparenting: non-breeding females often assist in raising young.
• Coyotes reach adult size in eight to nine months and can live up to 18 years.
• Highly adaptable, these creatures diversify their habitat and diet. They are omnivores and will scavenge dead animals; they are also known to pick through trash.
• Coyotes are opportunistic hunters. While sense of smell is important, their predominant sense is sight when hunting.
• Their preferred hunting method is pouncing and chasing. They are also often solo hunters but will sometimes hunt in small groups for larger prey like deer. They cache any excess food.
• Because of their varied diet and being non-picky eaters, they are susceptible to many diseases such as rabies, distemper, canine hepatitis, encephalitis, and tularemia (tick borne illnesses).
• Coyote attacks on humans are very rare. They are peaceful creatures who fear humans but they will attack stray animals, including cats or dogs off leash if disturbed. (Yet another good reason to keep dogs on-leash while on Natural Lands preserves.)
• Coyotes are both gregarious (group-loving), and solitary, whereas wolves are social animals and foxes are completely solitary.
• They are often crepuscular, more nocturnal in urban areas, but can be active during the day.
• Much like dogs, they can display both aggressiveness and playfulness through body language. Aggression is displayed by arched back and lowered tail; playfulness is bowing, flexing head, or spinning and diving.
• Like domestic dogs, coyotes also get the “zoomies,” which is called Random Frenetic Action Period.
• Coyotes are one of the most vocal North American mammals. Adults have 11 different vocalizations for alarm, greeting, and contact.
  • Alarm: woofs (call pups back to den); growls (short distance threat); huffs (high intensity threat), bark/howls (long distance threat), yelps (submission); and high-pitch whines (dominance).
  • Greeting: low-frequency whines, “wow-ooo-wows,” and group yip howls.
  • Contact: lone howls and group howls, yip howls.