CALIFORNIA COYOTES

PHOTOS

The California Coyote has tawny to grayish color fur. The back tends to be buffy gray and black or reddish while the underside is lighter in color. The ears are erect and pointed. The tail is usually carried straight out or down and has a black tip. Size variations depend upon geographic locale and subspecies.

This permanent resident throughout our area and the State utilizes almost all habitats and successional stages. They frequent open brush, scrub, shrub, and herbaceous habitats, and may be associated opportunistically with agriculture lands. In addition, they may be found in younger conifer forests and woodlands with low to intermediate canopy and shrub and grass understory.

Presence of free water for drinking is the only restriction. Cover may be taken in natural cavities, brushy stands of vegetation, and suitable soils which allow excavation of dens. Activity occurs throughout all months of the year. Most activity tends to be at dusk, dawn, or throughout the night but they occasionally may be active during the daylight.

The California Coyote is an omnivorous opportunist and a very adaptable predator. They eat primarily mice, rats, ground squirrels, gophers, lagomorphs, and carrion. Some insects, reptiles, amphibians, fruits, and occasionally birds and their eggs are also food for the coyote. They also have been known to take sheep and domestic fowl. Hunting is done alone, in pairs, or in small packs or family groups.

Coyote home ranges vary from 3-31 miles. Male home ranges may overlap one another but females rarely do. Breeding occurs from January to March and gestation takes about 63 days. The young are born from March through May. Pups are weaned at 5-7 weeks and leave their parents at 6-9 months.

Coyotes are tolerant of human activities and adjust rapidly to perturbations and changes in their environment. Widespread efforts to control or reduce coyote numbers are largely unsuccessful.

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