Coyotes (Canis latrans) are one of North America’s most iconic tricksters. Their species name, which means “barking dog” in Latin, might come from their nighttime vocalizing. They’ve had a powerful influence on Native American folklore and mythology, even earning the title of “God’s dog” [1]. Native American tales highlight the morals of coyote tricksters, imparting lessons of generosity, unity, cleverness, and perseverance [1]—all things we can still learn from today. These medium-sized canines initially lived in prairies and deserts, but have since adapted to urban environments and mountain ranges in the wake of human urbanization. Coyotes may now be spotted in densely populated areas of Los Angeles, residential backyards, on rooftops, and even roaming around the parking lots and hotels at Disneyland. Some of their remarkable behaviors include their monogamous lifestyle and unique vocalizations.
Monogamous relationships are rare for mammals. Only about 3% to 5% of mammals exhibit any form of monogamous behavior [2]. Coyotes are an exception, being both socially [3–5] and genetically [2,5] monogamous. This means two adults of the opposite sex not only live together (social monogamy), but exclusively reproduce with one another (genetic monogamy). Coyotes are pair-bonded for life. Pairs are highly cooperative, and neither partner consistently dominates the other [3]. Their cooperation is reflected in their biparental care toward their litter—which directly benefits offspring development and increases the parents’ ability to gather resources effectively [4]. Biparental care increases the safety of the pups since one parent can stay near the den with the pups while the other forages or explores potential dangers. Coyotes traveling outside their territory may face human hazards such as being hit by vehicles, falling for relocation traps, being hunted, or eating poisoned prey. If something happened to one parent, the other parent could continue to protect and raise the pups, ensuring their survival.
This adaptability is reflected in the various living arrangements of coyotes—they may be found in family packs, with a mate, or living alone. Unpaired coyotes seeking a mate begin courting potential partners around late December to early January [3]. Coyotes breed once per year, typically between late January to early March in California [6]. Following a gestation period of around 63 days, pups are born between March and May [3,6]. Early on, the mother cares for the pups inside the den while the father provides food. For the first few weeks, they rely on their mother’s milk and then transition to eating regurgitated food at a month old [7]. Pups usually leave their parents and their pack the following fall or winter after being born.
Coyote packs play a vital role in maintaining ecological balance, offering benefits to the species and to human communities alike. Coyotes’ diverse range of meals, including fruits, insects, rats, squirrels, skunks, and rabbits, allows them to thrive in urban environments within a pack, pair, or individually. However, living in a larger group provides benefits such as being able to tackle larger prey, reducing the risks of predation, and protecting territory [4]. Packs are advantageous to humans since their hunting activities limit rodents and other small predators while reducing waste in urban environments. Additionally, coyotes help maintain biodiversity by indirectly supporting the survival of other species, such as birds and amphibians, by preying on these species’ predators [8].
Coyote vocalizations are hypothesized to be important for recognizing individuals in a pack, including males and females within a pair as well as individuals from different pairs [8]. Various types of vocalizations can be heard on a 24-hour time scale including howls, barks, growls, and yips. These distinct sounds vary primarily by differences in amplitude (loudness) and frequency (pitch) [8]. The howl is used for long-range communication to express location and identity, and has numerous advantages such as protecting territory, limiting contact between packs, and promoting effective foraging [8]. The bark and growl are short-range communication styles to express dominance [8]. Yips are used within family packs to communicate and bond with others, and may also be beneficial for territorial defense [9]. There is a wide variety of combinations and arrangements made from these basic vocalizations that likely allow each coyote to be identified by a mate or group. Their vocal flexibility enhances their communication, territorial defense, social bonding, and ability to adapt to diverse environments, thus enabling coyotes to thrive in various habitats and social structures. A human listener will often misjudge the distance of coyotes thinking they are closer than they actually are, while also overestimating the number of coyotes vocalizing in a group or pair due to the vast and distinct sounds they may produce. This tendency for groups to sound larger than they are is called the “beau geste” effect [10], which may serve as a defense mechanism and further reinforce their trickster identity.
We should take inspiration from coyotes by learning to adapt to living with new species. Coyotes are both beneficial and potentially dangerous to us—which makes it especially important to learn more about coyote behavior and be prepared for safe interactions for both parties. As they inhabit increasingly more populated areas, coyotes can be observed more frequently and conveniently. Whether on your way to work or during a hike in the mountains, it is important to know how to limit negative human-wildlife interactions. For example, coyotes display more aggressive hunting behaviors, particularly toward domestic animals, when pups are present; knowing this can help people stay more alert and wary of packs with pups. Understanding behaviors, types of vocalizations, and misleading auditory cues will help people remain alert and calm in the presence of coyotes. If a coyote approaches you, keep eye contact while making loud noises, moving your arms around, and backing away. Although coyotes are not an endangered species in California, they still require our protection, which will in turn protect our ecosystem and maintain biodiversity.
Main image by Larry Lamsa [source]
Written by: Rebecka Halfen is a 4th-year undergraduate student at UC Davis majoring in Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior. She is thankful for the opportunity to research coyote bioacoustics with the Bales Lab at the California National Primate Research Center.
References:
[1] Gianfrancisco, S. (2017, April 3). The Coyote: A Favorite Trickster from Native American Tales. Walking Mountains Science Center. Retrieved August 14, 2024, from https://blog.walkingmountains.org/curious-nature/2017/04/coyote-favorite-trickster-native-american-tales
[2] Hennessy, C. A., Dubach, J., & Gehrt S. D. (2012). Long-term pair bonding and genetic evidence for monogamy among urban coyotes (Canis latrans). Journal of Mammalogy, 93(3), 732–42.
[3] Bekoff, M. & Wells, M. C. (1986). Social Ecology and Behavior of Coyotes. In: J.S. Rosenblatt, C. Beer, M. C. Busnel, & P. J. B. Slater (Eds.), Advances in the Study of Behavior (pp. 251–338). Academic Press. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0065-3454(08)60193-X
[4] Macdonald, D. W., Campbell, L. A. D., Kamler, J. F., Marino, J., Werhahn, G., & Sillero-Zubiri, C. (2019). Monogamy: Cause, Consequence, or Corollary of Success in Wild Canids? Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, 7, 341. https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2019.00341
[5] Turano, A., Brummer, S. P., Schultz, J. T., Young, J. K., & Freeman, S.M. (2024). Internal and external factors affect pair mate proximity in captive coyotes, Canis latrans. Animal Behaviour, 212, 49–62.
[6] US Forest Service. Coyotes. Mendocino National Forest – Nature and Science. Retrieved August 5, 2024 from https://www.fs.usda.gov/detailfull/mendocino/learning/nature-science/?cid=FSBDEV3_004458
[7] Sharma, N. (2020, November 10). Have You Ever Seen A Coyote Pup? Peninsula Open Space Trust. Retrieved August 5, 2024 from: https://openspacetrust.org/blog/coyote/
[8] Kershenbaum, A,, Root-Gutteridge, H., Habib, B., Koler-Matznick, J., Mitchell, B., & Palacios, V., et. al. (2016). Disentangling canid howls across multiple species and subspecies: Structure in a complex communication channel. Behavioural Processes, 124, 149–57. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.beproc.2016.01.006
[9] Why are the Coyotes Howling? Weston, MA. Retrieved August 5, 2024 from https://www.weston.org/CivicSend/ViewMessage/message/98027
[10] Brewster, R. K., Henke, S. E., Ortega-Santos, A., Tomecek, J. M., & Turner, B. L. (2017). Do You hear what I hear? Human perception of coyote group size. Human–Wildlife Interactions, 11(2), 167–174.
[Edited by Jessica Schaefer and Jacob Johnson]