Canis latrans

Coyotes are opportunistic omnivores and primarily nocturnal, though they can be active at any time. They hunt small mammals, birds, reptiles, and scavenge carrion and human refuse, often traveling alone or in mated pairs but sometimes forming loose family groups.

Breeding season occurs in late winter. After a gestation period of about 60–63 days, females give birth to litters of 4–7 pups in dens—natural cavities or burrows—that are tended by both parents; pups emerge around three weeks old and are weaned by seven to ten weeks.

Coyotes weigh 7–23 kg (15–50 lb) and stand about 60 cm (24 in) at the shoulder. Their acute hearing and vision, combined with a keen sense of smell, make them adept hunters and highly adaptable to changing landscapes.

Once confined to North America’s western plains and deserts, coyotes expanded eastward with human-driven habitat changes and the extirpation of wolves and cougars. By the mid-20th century, they occupied nearly the entire continent, exploiting agricultural lands and urban edges.

Classified as Least Concern by the IUCN, coyotes remain widespread and abundant. However, they face conflicts with livestock producers and urban residents, leading to management programs that include non-lethal deterrents and regulated control to reduce human–coyote conflicts.