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Today on Animal Fact Files we’re discussing coyotes. The name coyote has its origin in the Aztec language. These canids are also known as the prairie wolf. Before the extirpation of wolves by colonizers, coyotes were mostly restricted to the Great Plains area of North America. Since wolves were hunted to near extinction in the contiguous 48 United States, coyotes were able to fill their ecological niche and have expanded their range significantly. As of this recording, coyotes live from northern Canada to Central America from the Atlantic to the Pacific coasts. Historically, coyotes are believed to have favored open grasslands, but today they can be found in just about any habitat type that supports prey.

Coyotes are generalists meaning they consume a wide variety of foods. Depending on the time of year, these canids eat rabbits, rodents, birds, snakes, fish, fruits, deer, boar, carrion, and much more. Coyotes may hunt in packs, especially in winter, to take down larger prey, or individually sneak up on an animal and pounce like a fox. These are exceptionally skilled hunters, and, though they only weigh 30 to 45 pounds (14-20kg), they are formidable predators. 

It can be difficult to distinguish a coyote from a fox or a wolf with a quick glance, but their size can be a key factor. Wolves are huge. For reference, a Great Dane, a dog many people are familiar with for their size, averages about 130 pounds (59kg) in weight as an adult. Wolves weigh almost as much on average. So if you see a wolf-shaped animal and aren't sure if it's a wolf or not, if you're not shocked by the size, it's probably not a wolf.

In contrast, coyotes are larger than foxes, about the size of a small German shepherd dog, though this can vary. Coyotes get larger the further north and east they live. Apart from size, Coyotes have a black tipped tail while grey foxes have a black line running down their entire tail. Foxes hold their tail horizontally when they run, like a wolf, but coyotes hold their tail down. 

The name coyote means "barking dog" and is in reference to their call. Here's what a coyote sounds like. They often call to determine where they are in relation to other members of their pack, but coyotes aren't always pack animals. These canids can travel alone or in pairs, as well. They're generally described as nocturnal, but they do move during the day from time to time. In fact, young coyotes are more active during daylight hours.

The coyote breeding season begins in late winter to early spring, the only time of the year the female is fertile. A pair may remain together for subsequent years, but this isn't a hard rule. Coyotes utilize badger burrows, other left-behind animal holes, or natural dens which they expand to meet their needs. Gestation lasts just over two months and litter sizes average six pups, but they range from half to double this! Pups remain in the den for the first two weeks where they depend on their mother for milk. The father brings food and the pups eat his regurgitations. They can run by six weeks of age and reach adult size before they're a year old. 

Young coyotes disperse from their parent's territory by their first winter, but sometimes they'll remain as helpers for next year's litter. They're most vulnerable when they're young and may be taken by eagles, hawks, owls, cougars, and even other coyotes. As they get older, their predators include wolves, bears, and humans. They're hit by cars and hunted, though not as extensively as they were in the past due to the decline in the fur trade. In the wild, coyotes average about six to eight years old, though they can more than double this in captivity.

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