Wildlife Watching Wednesday: Howling Coyotes
By: Tom Berg
Coyotes are common throughout the United States these days, and it is not unusual to hear groups of them howling and barking in the distance on a cold winter evening right after dark. They often travel in pairs or small family groups as they hunt, usually covering a distance of two or three miles during the night. Although originally native to the western U.S., these adaptable predators have migrated all the way to the east coast and they are here to stay.
Coyotes have thick fur that helps keep them warm during the cold winter months. They have an excellent sense of smell and exceptional hearing, and their bright yellow eyes don’t miss much. These wily canines are very fast, too, and can run at speeds of 40 mph. This helps them catch quick-moving prey.
Most coyotes are quite a bit larger than our native red and gray foxes, and they usually kill or drive off the foxes when they move into an area. Coyotes are notoriously cautious and wary, so they are able to live around humans without being seen or even noticed. Their grayish-brown fur allows them to blend-in perfectly with the drab surroundings of late-winter.
Although coyotes will eat almost anything, they prefer to catch and eat small mammals like rabbits, ground squirrels and mice. They will also eat birds of all sorts, including the large Canada geese that have become so common in many places. Coyotes that live near humans have also learned to forage for food in our garbage, and they can pose a threat to our pets as well. Cats and small dogs have been known to be killed by coyotes, although large dogs are very unlikely to be attacked. Attacks on humans are extremely rare, too.
Coyotes are mostly nocturnal, so they are most active at night and under cover of darkness. Even though coyotes are unseen by most people, it is very likely that they are living within a mile or two of every person reading this column. You just don’t usually see them!
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