Coyotes are most active at night and early morning hours however, they may be active during the day in search of food or denning sites. Provide secure shelters for poultry, rabbits, and other vulnerable animals. Feeding of feral cats is strongly discouraged. Cats should be kept indoors and not allowed to roam free.
Dogs should be walked on short leashes (less than 6 feet in length). Wildlife officials recommend that residents maintain supervision over pets when outdoors, and keep them inside whenever possible to reduce encounters with coyotes and other wildlife. This behavior may be more pronounced during the mating season (January-March) and when coyotes are caring for their pups (March-August). Coyotes are territorial and may view larger dogs as a threat. Coyotes may consider small, unattended pets including cats and small dogs as prey due to their similar size to natural wildlife prey. Pets that are outside unattended may be at risk to coyotes, especially during nighttime and early morning hours. Attacks by rabid coyotes have also been reported in the U.S., although these attacks are not common.įeeding or unintentionally providing food for coyotes is a primary concern by wildlife officials as these actions may result in coyotes becoming less wary of humans or cause them to display bold and aggressive behaviors. In most cases where coyotes have acted aggressively, a coyote is responding to the presence of a dog, is in close proximity of a den with pups, or has become too comfortable around humans, often a result of people feeding them. Unprovoked coyote attacks on humans are very rare. Simply seeing a coyote should not be cause for alarm. Most complaints regarding coyotes are that they occur near people, even when no incidents or damages have occurred. Some juveniles will disperse in late fall to seek new territory, while others may remain with their parents.Ĭoyotes are primarily nocturnal but may be active during the day, especially during the spring and summer months when they are searching for food to feed pups.Ĭoyotes differ from most other wildlife species in urban areas in that they are often perceived to be a danger or a nuisance simply by being seen. Pups become independent around 6-to-9 months of age. They give birth to a litter of 5 to 7 pups on average with most born by mid-April. Typically, only the dominant pair breeds and produces one litter per year.Other adults in the group may assist with raising of the young. Coyotes use a range of howls, barks, yips and growls to communicate.Ĭoyotes appear to be strongly monogamous and breed from January- March. Coyotes have an organized social hierarchy and will defend their territories from other coyotes. Family groups usually are composed of a breeding alpha male and female pair and a few close relatives, including pups that were born that year.
Coyotes may live as solitary individuals, in pairs, or in small family groups, both in rural and urban areas.
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