Coyote
A versatile North American canine, adaptable to human environments.
The coyote (Canis latrans) is a species of canine native to North America, also known as the American jackal, prairie wolf, and brush wolf. It is smaller than the gray wolf and slightly smaller than the eastern wolf and red wolf, filling much the same ecological niche as the golden jackal in Eurasia, though generally larger. Listed as least concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature due to its wide distribution and abundance, the coyote is highly adaptable and has expanded into environments modified by humans, including urban areas.
- Scientific name
- Canis latrans
- Average male weight
- 8 to 20 kg (18 to 44 lb)
- Average female weight
- 7 to 18 kg (15 to 40 lb)
- Total length range
- 1.0 to 1.35 m (3 ft 3 in to 4 ft 5 in)
- Number of subspecies
- 19
- Conservation status
- Least concern
- Primary threat
- Humans
Reader's Guide
The coyote's significance lies in its remarkable adaptability and ecological role across North America. It is highly flexible in social organization, living either in family units or loosely knit packs of unrelated individuals. Primarily carnivorous, its diet includes deer, rabbits, hares, rodents, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, and invertebrates, with occasional fruits and vegetables. Its characteristic vocalization is a howl that changes rapidly in tone and pitch. The coyote interbreeds with eastern wolves and red wolves, producing 'coywolf' hybrids, and genetic studies show most North American wolves contain some level of coyote DNA. In Native American folklore, particularly in Aridoamerica, the coyote is a prominent trickster figure, using deception and humor to rebel against social conventions. In Mesoamerican cosmology, it was respected as a symbol of military might. After European colonization, Anglo-American culture viewed it as cowardly and untrustworthy, and attitudes remain largely negative, unlike the improved public image of wolves.
Did You Know?
- Coyotes have 19 recognized subspecies.
- The coyote was sighted in eastern Panama for the first time in 2013.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Coyote in the Canids And Hyaenids series?
The Coyote (Canis latrans) is a North American canine species occupying entry 1-24 in this fan encyclopedia. It is a mid-sized dog relative, smaller than gray wolves but generally larger than the golden jackal.
How big is a Coyote?
Adult males typically weigh between 8 and 20 kg, while females range from 7 to 18 kg. Total body length spans roughly 1.0 to 1.35 meters, placing it clearly below its larger wolf cousins.
What is the Coyote's conservation status?
The IUCN lists the Coyote as Least Concern, reflecting its enormous geographic range and population abundance across North America. None of its 19 recognized subspecies currently faces a realistic threat of extinction.
How does the Coyote fit into the broader canid family?
It fills a similar ecological role to the golden jackal in Eurasia, acting as a mid-sized generalist predator. With 19 recognized subspecies, it shows remarkable regional variation across its range.
Why do fans highlight the Coyote's adaptability?
Unlike many wild canids that avoid human settlement, the Coyote has actively expanded into cities and suburban areas. This flexibility makes it one of the most successful large mammals in the modern North American landscape.
More in Canids And Hyaenids 1-24
Elsewhere in the Canids And Hyaenids universe
Spotted an error? Know more?
This is a living reference — every entry is fact-audited, and reader corrections feed straight into our audit queue. Suggest an edit · See this site's audit record