The coyote is a member of the dog family. Its scientific name is canis latrans, which means "barking dog", an accurate description since coyotes are one of the most vocal North American mammals. In some parts of the country, they can reach 40 pounds or even more, but in Arizona the average size is about 20. Smaller bodies and comparatively larger ears enable the desert coyote to stay cooler in a hot climate. The male is slightly larger and thicker looking than the female. Their color ranges from a reddish brown to a pale gray, the reddish color being more common in Arizona. The coat is multi-toned and pale cream to white underneath. They usually have a dark "saddle-mark" over their shoulders and a dark spot on the upper top side of their tail. The tail can be quite bushy (Wile E. Coyote has a stubby one in comparison) and it has black tip. Coyotes tend to hold their tails downward when running, compared to wolves which may hold their tails high. Coyotes grow thick winter coats, the fullest and palest belonging to individuals in the high country. In spring, they shed most of the outer layer. A desert coyote in summer can look mighty thin and scruffy. Come winter, it will fill out again, looking much heavier than it actually is.

Breeding takes place around January- February. As many as six males may follow the female for weeks; ultimately she chooses one of them. They then dig several dens. The young, called pups, are born in one of them in April or May. There are usually 4-8 babies. The pups will be moved from den to den over the next several weeks to avoid predators and parasites.

Little was known about the coyote's social behavior until the 1970s, when scientists began to study it for the first time. (Before then, all studies seemed to focus on discovering more ways to kill and control them.) They found that by nature, coyotes are social, territorial animals. The main element in this dog's social structure is the mated pair. It is believed that they often mate for life. In study after study, when coyotes are followed by scientists for more than a year, the same pair gets together each spring.(I've seen some books and web pages stating that coyotes do NOT mate for life, but the source of their information is usually incredibly outdated, such as those old California Wildlife Leaflets originally printed in the '50s or '60s.) Throughout the year, the pair stays in contact, often hunting alone but not too far apart and howling to stay in touch. As noted by a top coyote researcher, Bob Crabtree, if the coyote pair lives long enough (perhaps 6 or more years) to become sterile, they continue to defend their territory anyway. The mated pair is found all over the coyote's range.

Coyote packs, consisting of related individuals, are more common than some people think, especially in unexploited (read unhunted) populations. In Yellowstone National Park and other studied sites, coyotes seem to prefer living in packs. Like wolves, there is an alpha pair and their subordinate offspring. Only the alphas are allowed to breed- their adult pups, called helpers or associates, are there to protect the pups and secure food. In winter, larger groups are helpful in protecting winter-kill carrion, trying to fend off predators such as wolves, and bringing down large prey. Eventually, the associates leave in search of their own mates and territory. On rare occasions, scientists have observed these adult pups returning and socializing with their old pack, then leaving again.

In exploited populations, coyotes have adopted a more solitary lifestyle. When they feel a decline in their numbers, a much higher percentage of females begin to breed. (In one Texas study, only 32% of the female coyotes were breeding and they were producing 4-5 pups per litter. Then a coyote control operation started and the numbers jumped to 90% and 8-9, respectively. The population actually INCREASED.) Almost all available females will be breeding, not helping their parent's pups. Territory size may get smaller to fit everyone in.

About half the coyote population can consist of loners or transients. These individuals roam the no-coyote's land of the territory edges. They are tolerated as long as they keep moving through. If a resident coyote dies, they will replace it almost immediately.

In Arizona, coyote territories average about 5 sq. miles or larger, depending on the season. Coyotes with pups have smaller home ranges. Coyotes spend most of their time in a "core area" that might consist of 7% of their entire range. This is probably an area where they can find all that they need, such as food! What does a coyote eat? Anything that doesn't eat him first! Coyotes eat an amazing array of food, ranging from rattlesnakes to panty hose. Most studies find the bulk of their diet consists of rodents and rabbits. They are one of the few major predators of jackrabbits. They love fruit when they can get it. In one southeastern Arizona study, 99% of the coyote scats (droppings) collected during September contained prickly pear cactus fruit! These wild canines are important scavengers, as well.

Canis Latrans also eats things people may not want it to. Adult deer, elk, and antelope are usually too big for a coyote to kill, (but not always, if the coyote finds a weakness of some sort) but their fawns are another matter. Coyotes can take a heavy toll on fawns (elk are preyed upon occassionally, too, but not to the point of a lowered population). Sheep and other livestock are also attacked. As more homeowners are discovering, coyotes kill small dogs and cats as well. Check out my "Coyotes and People" page for more info.

Coyotes are an important part of the North American natural heritage. They may be controversial, a little noisy at 3 am in the morning:), and they have a way of challenging our very self-concept in the scheme of things- but could you imagine how dull the West would be without them?

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Donald F. Hoffmeister: Mammals of Arizona (1986)

Wayne Grady: The World of the Coyote (1994)

Todd Wilkinson: Track of the Coyote (1995)

Norman G. Woolsey: Coyote Field Guide (Special Report #15- Arizona Game and Fish Department 1985)

Back to Main Page tracks since February 2001

This page hosted by Get your own Free Home Page