Historically, coyotes were most commonly found on the Great Plains 

of North America. Their range now extends from Central America to 

the Arctic. Except for Hawaii, coyotes live in all of the United States, 

Canada, and Mexico. More coyotes exist today than when the U.S. 

Constitution was signed.

 Almost no animal in America is more adaptable to changing 

conditions than the coyote. Coyotes can live just about anywhere. They 

are found in deserts, swamps, tundra, grasslands, brush, and dense 

forests, from below sea level to high mountains. They have also learned 

to live in suburbs and cities like Denver, Los Angeles, New York, and 

Phoenix.

 One of the keys to the coyote’s success is its diet. A true scavenger, 

the coyote will eat just about anything. Identifi ed as a killer of sheep, 

poultry, and deer, the coyote will also eat snakes and foxes, doughnuts 

and sandwiches, rodents and rabbits, fruits and vegetables, birds, frogs, 

grass and grasshoppers, pet cats and cat food, pet dogs and dog food, 

carrion, and just plain garbage.

 Coyotes are active mainly during the night, but they can also move 

about during the day. Most sightings of coyotes occur during the hours 

close to sunrise and sunset.

 Adult coyotes weigh between 20 and 45 pounds. Females are 

generally smaller than males, and western coyotes are generally smaller 

than eastern coyotes.

 Coyotes look like small collie dogs. They have erect pointed ears, 

slender muzzle, and a bushy tail. Most coyotes are brownish gray in color 

with a light gray to cream-colored belly. However, a coyote’s color varies 

and may be somewhat darker or lighter depending upon the geographic 

region and the time of year. Most coyotes have dark or black hairs over 

their back and tail.

Protecting People

Protecting Agriculture

Protecting Wildlife

Wildlife Services Factsheet

December 2011

Coyotes in Towns and 

Suburbs

Wildlife Services (WS), 

a program of the U.S. 

Department of Agriculture’s 

(USDA) Animal and Plant 

Health Inspection Service 

(APHIS), provides Federal 

leadership and expertise 

to resolve wildlife confl icts 

that threaten the Nation’s 

agricultural and natural 

resources, human health and 

safety, and property. 

As coyotes have become 

more common in urban and 

suburban settings, WS has 

received increased calls in 

every State to address coyoterelated damage. Often the 

damage is linked to human 

activity that attracts the 

animals. WS can assist with 

problems using an integrated 

approach.

Coyotes quickly learn not to 

fear humans and develop 

a dependency on easy food 

sources.
 A high reproductive rate and the rapid growth of 

its offspring also aid in the coyote’s success. Coyotes 

breed in February and March, and pups are born 

about 60 days later. During this time, territorial male 

coyotes do not tolerate other canines in their territory; 

many confl icts between coyotes and domestic dogs 

result from this territorial behavior. An average 

coyote litter contains four or fi ve pups, born in dens. 

In urban environments, dens can be in storm drains, 

under storage sheds, in holes dug in vacant lots, 

parks, or golf courses, or any other dark, dry place.

 Coyote pups are cared for, fed, and protected 

by both parents. The pups mature quickly and can 

eat meat and move about well by the time they are 

a month old. By 6 months, pups have permanent 

teeth and are taught to hunt for food. During this 

time of pup rearing, the amount of food that coyotes 

hunt and eat increase signifi cantly. As a result, 

confl icts between coyotes and humans are common. 

It is not unusual to observe a family of coyotes 

traveling through urbanized areas such as parks or 

golf courses. If food is deliberately or inadvertently 

provided by people, the pups quickly learn not to 

fear humans and develop a dependency on easy food 

sources. 

 The pups are fully independent at about 9 

months, and they disperse. During the next year, 

these young adults may be seen as nuisances in 

urban/suburban areas while they seek safe living 

areas away from established coyote territories. A 

few pups may stay with the parents, forming family 

groups as population densities increase or where food 

is abundant, such as in urbanized areas. Coyotes 

adapting to an urban environment can become 

bolder because they are less likely to be harmed 

and more likely to associate people with an easy and 

dependable food source.

Urban Area Coyote

Coyotes have learned that small dogs and cats are 

easy prey. Newspapers across the country have 

carried stories of coyotes harassing leashed dogs on 

walks with their owners in and near parks and golf 

courses within city limits. Calls to WS for help or 

information about urban coyotes often pertain to the 

animals attacking pets, eating garbage, or simply 

coming too close to houses or people on foot.

 Remember, all wild animals are unpredictable 

and caution is the watchword when they are around. 

Don’t ever put food out to lure them closer. Nearly all 

wild animal bites occur when people attempt to feed 

wildlife or treat them like domestic animals. 

 Here are some steps you can take to reduce the 

chance of human-coyote confl icts:

 Do not feed coyotes!

 Eliminate sources of water, particularly in dry 

climates.

 Bird feeders should be positioned so that coyotes 

cannot get feed. Coyotes are attracted by bread, 

table scraps, and even seed. They may also be 

attracted by the birds and rodents that come to 

feeders.

 Do not discard edible garbage where coyotes can 

get to it.

 Secure garbage containers and eliminate garbage 

odors.

 Feed pets indoors whenever possible. Pick up 

any leftovers if feeding outdoors. Store pet and 

livestock feed where it is inaccessible to wildlife.

 Trim and clean, near ground level, any shrubbery 

that provides hiding cover for coyotes or prey.

 Fencing your yard could deter coyotes. The fence 

should be at least 6 feet high with the bottom 

extending at least 6 inches below ground level for 

best results.

 Don’t leave small children unattended outside if 

coyotes have been frequenting the area.

 Don’t allow pets to run free. Keep them safely 

confi ned and provide secure nighttime housing for 

them. Walk your dog on a leash and accompany 

your pet outside, especially at night. Provide 

secure shelters for poultry, rabbits, and other 

vulnerable animals.
 Discourage coyotes from frequenting your area. 

If you start seeing coyotes around your home or 

property, chase them away by shouting, making 

loud noises, or throwing rocks.

 These steps may decrease the frequency 

of coyote sightings in your area if practiced 

continuously. However, coyotes are adaptable to 

change and are quick to learn new ways of survival. 

Occasional sightings most likely will continue. By 

making life for coyotes in your neighborhood more 

diffi cult, you will increase the likelihood that they 

will go somewhere else.

Suburban/Semi-rural

“Hobby farms” and “ranchettes” are more common 

today than ever before. Many Americans are enjoying 

a return to the rural lifestyle, living on a few acres 

and keeping poultry, horses, and other livestock. 

Many of these new “farmers” and “ranchers” are 

shocked to discover that coyotes kill and eat pets, 

poultry, and stock.

 WS suggests (and offers technical assistance for) 

the following nonlethal methods to reduce coyote 

damage:

 Use net-wire or electric fencing to keep coyotes 

away from livestock.

 Shorten the length of calving or lambing seasons.

 Confi ne livestock in a coyote-proof corral at night 

when coyotes are most likely to attack livestock.

 Use lights above corrals.

 Remove dead livestock so coyotes won’t be 

attracted to scavenge. 

 Remove habitats that provide homes to natural 

prey of coyotes, like rabbits, from lambing and 

calving areas.

 Use strobe lights and sirens to scare coyotes away.

 Use guard animals, such as dogs, donkeys, and 

llamas, to protect livestock.

Additional Information

For more information about this and other WS 

programs contact your WS State offi ce at 1–866–4–

USDA–WS (1–866–487–3297) or visit www.aphis.

usda/wildlife_damage. WS is not the sole source for 

wildlife damage management services; these services 

may be available from private sector providers.

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political beliefs, sexual orientation, or marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means 

for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD). 

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SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (202) 720-5964 (voice and TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. 

Mention of companies or commercial products does not imply recommendation or endorsement by the USDA over others not mentioned. The USDA neither guarantees 

nor warrants the standard of any product mentioned. Product names are mentioned solely to report factually on available data and to provide specifi c information. 

United States Department of Agriculture

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service