Coyote
- Physical Appearance: Coyotes in the eastern United States are larger and somewhat heavier than their western counterparts with adults weighing from 30 to 40 pounds. Rarely, individuals weighing as much as 60 pounds have been recorded. The adult males are generally larger than the adult females.
- Range: Coyotes occur in all 48 contiguous states and Alaska although densities throughout their range can vary with habitat quality.
- Habitat: The coyote evolved as a species on the grasslands and prairies of the western United States and southern Canada, but they have adapted well to a wide range of habitat conditions from southern swamps to northern forests. They also are becoming more common in urban and suburban environments, including some of the largest cities in the United States.
- Food Habits: Coyotes are opportunistic feeders, meaning they select prey and food items that are readily available, including small animals (mice, rabbits, reptiles, and insects) and occasionally pets. They also consume carrion, as well as fruits, seeds, and other plant material. Coyotes are capable of killing larger mammals, such as white-tailed deer and livestock.
- Reproduction: Coyotes breed in January or February in the North and later in the South. Litters average three to six pups and are born about 60 days from conception. Females typically breed in their second winter, and coyote pairs may remain together for several years. Both parents care for the pups with the young dispersing when they are about six months old.
- Populations: Coyote populations are highly variable throughout their range, but they are generally considered abundant. Differences in densities depend on habitat quality and range. Typical densities range from one adult for every 10 square miles to more than one adult per square mile. Adult coyotes may range over an area of 1 to 20 square miles, depending on the time of year. Although family groups often defend well-defined territories, pairs and solitary individuals do not.