Life History Life History Coyotes are not large animals. Males weigh up to 35 pounds, and females weigh an average of 5 to 6 pounds less. Coyotes weighing 40 pounds or more are rare. Color varies with individual coyotes, but reddish gray is most common. Some animals, however, may be darker and others more red.
Older animals tend to be darker and more reddish, and younger animals are more gray.
Coyotes are mostly nocturnal, but they sometimes are active in the daylight hours, especially in cool, cloudy weather. During winter, they can be spotted in the early morning and evening. Coyotes howl to let other family groups know where their territory lies. In Missouri, coyotes are found in all types of habitat from the Ozark forests to the northern crop fields and from the southeast lowlands to the populated subdivisions of major metropolitan areas. In spite of their varied habitat, coyotes are basically prairie animals.