Canis rufus

Description

Coyotes look very similar to medium sized dogs. They are gray to reddish in color. They can weigh anywhere between 20-50 lbs. Coyotes will hunt in pairs or alone.

Habitat

Coyotes can survive in a wide range of environmental conditions, and can be found anywhere from prairies to woodlands, and can even be found in highly urban areas such as Los Angeles, California.

Diet

Coyotes are opportunistic carnivores, eating a wide range of foods. Their diet is primarily made up of rabbits and rodents, but will eat berries, nuts, fruit, and eggs. Coyotes cache any uneaten food, meaning they bury their food to eat at a later date.

Range

This canine is a wide ranging species, and can be found in all U.S. states, Canada, and Mexico.

Other Useful Information

Coyotes are one of the few medium sized predators that have increased their homerange size since the introduction of Europeans in North America. They have been taking over the areas formly inhabited by timber wolves, red wolves, and other large predators and are now found throughout the United States.

Similar Species

Red wolves are generally larger and are a darker color than coyotes. Gray wolves are also larger than coyotes. Neither red wolves nor gray wolves are found in New England.