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New York Suburban Coyote Study: Home >> Coyote Information

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Coyotes are highly adaptable animals. They are opportunists and consume readily available foods. Their diet is often diverse and may include anything from berries to deer and occasionally fast food wrappers. Coyotes can live solitarily, in breeding pairs, or even in small groups. They are very capable of living in a variety of habitats, including suburban areas.

Coyote Information

Coyote (Canis latrans)

Appearance:

Coyotes are medium sized mammals in the Canidae Family and can be misidentified as other members in the Genus Canis (i.e., wolves, foxes, domestic dogs). Typical adult coyotes in the Northeast weigh approximately 35-42 lbs. for females and 35-45 lbs. for males. Occasionally, slightly larger individuals are observed but usually do not weigh more than 50 lbs. Coyotes appear larger than 50 lbs. during winter months due to longer and denser winter fur than shorter and thinner fur in summer.

Adult coyotes stand at front shoulder height approximately 20 inches tall, and are 45 - 50 inches long from the tip of the nose to the tip of the tail. Their ears are about 4.5 inches long.

The coyote appears in many colors phases. The typical color phase is gray fur with black tips. The legs are often tawny and occasionally have a black line down the front of the forelegs. The back sides of ears are often reddish brown, too. Other color phases are pale blonde, reddish-blonde, dark red, or nearly black, but these are less common. Coyotes have an obvious, but small, dark spot on the tail near the base. This feature often can be used to determine whether the animal is a coyote or a domestic dog.

Reproduction:

The coyote breeding season begins in mid January and runs though late February. Gestation lasts about 62 days. The average litter size is approximately 6 pups, though sizes may range from as few as 2 or 3 pups to as many as 12 pups. Pups are born blind and initially are raised in ground dens. The ground den serves as a 'home base' for the first few months of the pups lives. Coyote pups grow quickly and become increasingly more independent through summer and fall. Pups disperse from their natal ranges during December - March and seek unoccupied territories to claim as their own.

Behavior:

ACTIVITY: Coyotes are not strictly nocturnal. They will frequently search for food during daytime. However, in urbanized areas coyotes usually keep a low profile during the day and stay within or nearby to natural areas. Coyotes travel greater distances during nighttime in search of food.

FORAGING: Coyotes are opportunistic generalists. This means that coyotes will eat both plant materials and other animals when opportunity provides. Their diets reflect what is available across the landscape. Coyotes are known to eat hare and cottontails, fawns and adult deer, small mammals such as voles and mice, and mid-sized mammals like ground hogs, and various bird species. Coyotes are omnivorous and will eat vegetables and fruits, and wild berries, and acorns when available. They frequently eat bird seed left on the ground under birdfeeders and make use of trash left exposed. Garbage and birdseed will attract coyotes to your yard. Keep these unintentional food sources out of reach of coyotes if you do not want coyotes in your yard.

COYOTES AND PETS: Coyotes do not differentiate between domestic animals ("pets") and wild animals. Domestic cat remains are occasionally found in coyote scats (fecal material), but not as often as wild animals. Coyotes may attack or kill dogs. However, this is not for food as dog remains seldom are found in coyote scats. Most likely, domestic dogs are perceived as a competitor for resources within the coyote territory.

These types of interactions are a source of conflict between wild coyotes and people's pets and other domestic animals. Take preventative measures to protect pets from the "laws of nature." Allowing pets outdoors and unattended exposes them to the same risks that wild animals face. Keep domestic cats indoors, out of nature, to keep your pet(s) safe. Do not let small dogs outside unsupervised.

Vocalization:

Coyote vocalizations are higher in pitch than wolves. They vocalize as a solitary animal or in groups of two or more. Coyotes will vocalize throughout the year, although the peak howling period is during August - October.

Taxonomy:

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