They eat rabbits, rodents, birds, amphibians, reptiles, and fish. All sorts of vegetable matter are also eaten. Carrion or dead animals are eaten when found. Carrion is an important source of food. The remains of dead livestock, wildlife killed along highways, and animals that have died from natural causes have been found in the stomachs and droppings of coyotes.
Deer form a small but important seasonal source of food for the coyote.
The coyote takes advantage of the deer hunting season. Many hunters take only the antlers of the deer they kill. The coyote or any other scavenger that finds the dead deer has a free meal. In addition, winter provides the coyote with its only opportunity to catch a deer. Starving deer may be successfully hunted and killed.