The stark image of a solitary coyote is familiar to many, thanks to its use in countless Westerns. It has been a persistent image, and for long the coyote was considered to be a solitary animal. But recent studies have shown that in some situations coyotes live cooperatively in a way similar to wolves. Size varies between populations and from one locale to another, and adult males are usually heavier and larger than adult females. While the geographic ranges of most predators are shrinking, that of the coyote is increasing.
Coydogs are even more liable to attack farm and domestic animals than are coyotes.
Like jackals and wolves, the coyote is an opportunistic predator. Mammals, including carrion, generally make up over 90 percent of its diet. Ground squirrels, rabbits and mice predominate, but larger animals such as the Pronghorn antelope, deer and Rocky mountain sheep are included. Coyotes also eat fruit and insects. Small prey are hunted singly, but larger animals are hunted cooperatively.