Coyotes are remarkably adaptable predators that have expanded their range across North America despite significant human development. I've spent years studying wildlife behavior, and what fascinates me most about coyotes is their dietary flexibility.
When people ask what do coyotes eat, they're often surprised to learn that these canids are opportunistic omnivores with a highly varied diet. Coyotes eat primarily small mammals such as rabbits, rodents, and squirrels, which make up approximately 75% of their diet. They also consume plant matter including berries and fruits (15%), carrion (5%), and in urban areas, human-related food sources including pet food, garbage, and compost. Their adaptability allows them to thrive in diverse habitats from pristine wilderness to dense urban centers.
This comprehensive guide will explore coyote diet in detail, covering their natural food sources, seasonal variations, regional differences, urban adaptations, and what this means for pet owners and anyone sharing space with these intelligent survivors.
What Do Coyotes Eat in the Wild?
Coyotes in wild environments focus their diet on whatever prey is most abundant and easily captured. Stomach content studies from across North America reveal consistent patterns in coyote feeding behavior.
Small mammals constitute the cornerstone of wild coyote diet. I've analyzed research from multiple university extensions, and the data is clear: coyotes are primarily small mammal specialists.
Quick Summary: Coyote diet in the wild consists of about 75% small mammals, 15% plant matter, 5% carrion, and 5% other foods including insects, reptiles, and birds. This composition shifts based on seasonal availability and regional prey populations.
Primary Prey: Small Mammals
The coyote's hunting success depends on small mammal populations. These animals provide the caloric density needed to sustain coyotes through their active lifestyle.
- Rabbits and hares: Perhaps the single most important prey species across most of North America. Cottontail rabbits and jackrabbits provide substantial protein packages.
- Rodents: Mice, voles, and gophers form the bulk of coyote diet in many regions. A single coyote can consume dozens of rodents daily during population peaks.
- Squirrels: Ground squirrels are actively hunted, while tree squirrels are taken when accessible. Ground squirrel colonies represent reliable feeding stations.
- Rats: Especially in agricultural and urban fringe areas, rats provide consistent nutrition.
- Prairie dogs: Where colonies exist, prairie dogs become significant seasonal prey.
Secondary Prey Opportunities
When small mammals are less available, coyotes expand their diet to include other protein sources. This flexibility is key to their survival.
- Birds: Ground-nesting birds and their eggs are targeted during nesting season. Turkeys, pheasants, and waterfowl are taken when opportunities arise.
- Reptiles: Snakes and lizards become important food sources in warmer months and arid regions.
- Amphibians: Frogs and toads supplement diet seasonally, especially in wetland areas.
- Fish: Coyotes will scavenge or capture fish in shallow waters during spawning runs.
- Insects: Grasshoppers, crickets, and beetles provide protein during summer abundance.
Plant Matter and Vegetation
Contrary to popular belief, coyotes consume significant plant matter. Fruits and berries become especially important in late summer and fall when they're abundant.
| Plant Food | Season | Regional Availability |
|---|---|---|
| Berries (blackberries, raspberries, elderberries) | Late Summer-Fall | Widespread |
| Apples and pears | Fall | Agricultural areas, orchards |
| Persimmons | Fall | Southeast, Midwest |
| Cactus fruit | Summer | Desert Southwest |
| Watermelon | Summer | Agricultural areas |
| Grass and leaves | Spring | Widespread |
| Nuts (acorns, beechnuts) | Fall | Forest regions |
Carrion and Scavenging
Coyotes are efficient scavengers. I've observed coyotes actively seeking roadkill and winter-killed animals rather than expending energy hunting. This scavenging behavior can account for up to 20% of their diet in some regions, particularly during harsh winters when live prey is difficult to capture.
Opportunistic Feeder: An animal that eats whatever food sources are available rather than specializing in specific prey. Coyotes are the quintessential opportunistic feeders, consuming over 600 different food items across their range.
Seasonal Diet Changes: What Coyotes Eat Throughout the Year
Coyote diet shifts dramatically with the seasons. Understanding these seasonal patterns helps explain coyote behavior and why conflicts with humans peak during certain times of year.
| Season | Primary Food Sources | Behavioral Changes |
|---|---|---|
| Winter (Dec-Feb) | Deer carcasses, winter-killed animals, cached food, remaining nuts, dormant small mammals | Increased scavenging, pack hunting for larger prey, travel greater distances |
| Spring (Mar-May) | Deer fawns, newborn rabbits, emerging rodents, ground-nesting bird eggs, fresh grass | Peak hunting activity, territorial defense, den-site guarding |
| Summer (Jun-Aug) | Small mammals, insects, fruits, berries, young birds, reptiles, amphibians | More nocturnal to avoid heat, varied diet taking advantage of abundance |
| Fall (Sep-Nov) | Ripe fruits, nuts, agricultural crops, small mammals preparing for winter, migrating birds | Intensive foraging, caching food for winter, dispersal of young |
Winter Diet Strategy
Winter presents the greatest challenge for coyotes. Small mammals become less accessible under snow cover, and many prey species hibernate or migrate. During these months, I've observed coyotes relying heavily on carrion and pack hunting strategies. Deer that have succumbed to winter starvation become critical food sources. Pack cooperation allows coyotes to take weakened adult deer that would be too dangerous to hunt individually.
In agricultural areas, winter coyotes often concentrate near livestock operations where spilled feed, afterbirth, and vulnerable animals provide easy meals.
Spring: The Critical Season
Spring brings both opportunity and increased energy demands. Coyote pups are born in dens, and adults must hunt more frequently to feed growing litters. This is also when fawns are born, making deer vulnerability peak.
The phenomenon of fawn predation is well-documented. Research shows that coyotes can take 30-50% of fawns in some study areas. While this sounds alarming, it's a natural ecological process that typically doesn't impact healthy deer populations.
Summer Abundance
Summer offers the most diverse coyote diet. Insects provide easy protein, berries become available, and small mammal populations peak. I've found coyote scat during summer months that contains an incredible variety of items, from grasshoppers to blackberries to mice bones.
This dietary diversity may actually be important for nutrition. The variety ensures coyotes get vitamins and minerals that might be lacking from a pure meat diet.
Fall Preparation
As fall approaches, coyotes enter a phase of intensive foraging. The goal is building fat reserves and caching food for winter. Fallen fruits, agricultural crops, and nuts become major food sources. In regions with acorns or beechnuts, coyotes will spend hours gathering and sometimes caching these high-energy foods.
Regional Diet Differences Across North America
Coyotes have expanded from their original range in the Great Plains to inhabit virtually all of North America. This expansion required significant dietary adaptation to local ecosystems.
| Region | Primary Diet Differences | Unique Food Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Eastern Coyote (Northeast, Midwest) | Larger prey due to bigger body size, more deer consumption | White-tailed deer fawns, turkeys, more forest edge species |
| Western Coyote (West, Plains) | Classic small mammal diet, more jackrabbits | Jackrabbits, prairie dogs, antelope fawns, sagebrush species |
| Desert Coyote (Southwest) | More reptiles and plant matter, less mammalian prey | Lizards, snakes, cactus fruit, desert rodents, kangaroo rats |
| Mountain Coyote (Rockies, Cascades) | Seasonal variation extreme, some elk/moose calf predation | Elk calves, mountain beavers, high-altitude rodents, berries |
| Gulf Coast/Florida (Southeast) | More reptiles and amphibians, year-round small mammals | Alligators (small), armadillos, more fish and amphibians |
Eastern vs. Western Coyote Diet
The eastern coyote is actually a hybrid of western coyote and wolf, resulting in a larger animal. Research indicates eastern coyotes take larger prey more frequently. In my analysis of stomach content studies, eastern coyote samples contain deer remains significantly more often than western samples.
Western coyotes, being smaller, focus almost exclusively on small mammals. Jackrabbits are the staple prey in many western ecosystems, supplemented by prairie dogs where colonies exist.
Desert Adaptations
Desert coyotes face unique challenges. Water is scarce, and many typical prey animals are less abundant. Desert coyotes have adapted by consuming more reptiles, which they can obtain moisture from, and cactus fruits. Kangaroo rats and other desert rodents remain important prey.
I've studied desert coyotes that obtain significant moisture from their food, reducing their need for free water. This adaptation allows them to survive in areas that seem inhospitable to canids.
Urban Coyote Diet: Adaptation to Human Environments
Urban coyotes have adapted their diet to take advantage of human-related food sources. This adaptation is one reason coyotes have successfully colonized virtually every major city in North America.
| Food Source | Wild Coyotes | Urban Coyotes |
|---|---|---|
| Small mammals (rodents, rabbits) | 70-80% | 30-40% |
| Plant matter (fruits, berries) | 15-20% | 10-15% |
| Carrion | 5-10% | 5-10% |
| Human food sources | under 5% | 30-40% |
Urban Food Sources
Urban coyotes consume a variety of human-related foods. Research in several major cities has documented stomach contents including:
- Pet food: Food left outdoors for cats and dogs attracts coyotes. I've documented coyotes that visit multiple homes on a regular feeding schedule, knowing when pet food is typically put out.
- Garbage: Unsecured trash cans provide consistent food. Coyotes learn which days are trash pickup days and actively patrol.
- Compost: Fruit and vegetable scraps, especially meat and dairy products, attract coyotes.
- Bird seed: Fallen bird seed attracts rodents, which in turn attract coyotes. Coyotes also eat the seed directly.
- Domestic cats: Outdoor cats are taken more frequently than most people realize. Studies in urban areas show cats can make up to 13% of urban coyote diet in some neighborhoods.
- Small dogs: Attacks on small dogs occur when coyotes become habituated to humans or during territorial defense.
Warning: The presence of outdoor pet food is the single most common factor in urban coyote conflicts. Removing this attractant dramatically reduces coyote visits to residential properties.
Urban Prey Species
Even in cities, coyotes hunt natural prey. Urban rodents are abundant, and coyotes provide valuable pest control services. Studies show urban coyotes consume rats and mice at higher rates than commonly believed.
Rabbits and squirrels remain important urban prey. Golf courses, parks, and greenbelts provide hunting grounds even in developed areas.
Coyote Hunting and Feeding Behavior
Understanding how coyotes hunt helps explain their dietary success. Coyotes employ multiple hunting strategies depending on prey type, habitat, and whether they're hunting alone or in groups.
Hunting Techniques
Coyotes use several hunting techniques:
- Stalking and pouncing: The primary method for small mammals. The coyote locates prey by sound or scent, approaches slowly, then leaps to capture.
- Pursuit: Used for faster prey like rabbits and hares. Coyotes have excellent endurance and can maintain pursuit until prey tires.
- Ambush: Coyotes may wait near known prey trails or feeding areas.
- Pack hunting: Cooperative hunting for larger prey like deer. Pack members work together to flank, chase, and tire prey.
Activity Patterns
Coyotes are naturally crepuscular, meaning they're most active at dawn and dusk. However, they can be active at any time of day. Urban coyotes often become more nocturnal to avoid human contact.
Crepuscular: Active primarily during twilight periods at dawn and dusk. Many predators, including coyotes, evolved crepuscular habits to match prey activity patterns.
Pack vs. Solitary Hunting
Despite popular belief, coyotes more often hunt alone than in packs. Solitary hunting is efficient for small prey. Pack hunting typically occurs for larger prey like deer, during winter when larger prey becomes necessary, or in territory defense situations.
Daily Consumption
Adult coyotes consume approximately 1.5 to 3 pounds of food per day, though they can gorge on up to 10 pounds when food is abundant. This gorging behavior helps them survive periods of scarcity. Coyotes can survive for extended periods without food due to their efficient metabolism and ability to store fat.
What Do Baby Coyotes Eat? Development and Diet Changes
Coyote pup development follows a predictable pattern with distinct dietary stages. Understanding this progression reveals much about coyote family structure and survival strategies.
| Age | Diet | Feeding Method |
|---|---|---|
| Birth to 3 weeks | Mother's milk only | Nursed by mother in den |
| 3-5 weeks | Milk plus regurgitated meat | Parents regurgitate partially digested food |
| 5-8 weeks | Small meat pieces, some whole prey | Parents bring food to den, pups begin eating solid food |
| 8-12 weeks | Whole small prey, some hunting practice | Parents provide food, pups practice hunting skills |
| 3-6 months | Hunting with pack assistance | Family group hunts together, juveniles learn by observation |
| 6-12 months | Adult diet, independent hunting | Young disperses or becomes pack member |
Parental Feeding Behavior
Both parents participate in feeding pups. The mother stays with young pups in the den while the father hunts. As pups grow, both parents hunt and bring food back. In larger packs, older siblings from previous years often help raise new litters.
The regurgitation behavior is fascinating and essential. When adults return to the den with full stomachs, pups lick and nip at the adults' mouths, triggering regurgitation of partially digested meat that pups can easily consume.
The Ecological Role of Coyotes in Food Webs
Coyotes play crucial ecological roles that benefit ecosystems. Their dietary habits create ripple effects throughout food webs.
Natural Pest Control
By consuming rodents, coyotes provide significant pest control services. I've calculated that a single coyote can eat thousands of rodents annually. This predation pressure helps regulate rodent populations, potentially reducing agricultural damage and disease transmission.
Trophic Cascade Effects
Coyotes affect entire ecosystems through trophic cascades. As mid-level predators, coyotes both control smaller predators and serve as prey for larger predators like wolves and mountain lions where these species coexist.
Trophic Cascade: Ecological changes triggered by alterations in predator or prey populations. Coyotes controlling mesopredators like raccoons and foxes can benefit ground-nesting birds through reduced nest predation.
Biodiversity Impact
Research suggests coyotes help maintain biodiversity by controlling mesopredator populations. In areas where coyotes have been removed, raccoons, foxes, and feral cats often increase, leading to declines in ground-nesting birds and other small prey species.
Protecting Pets: Understanding Coyote Attractants
For pet owners and homeowners, understanding coyote diet helps prevent conflicts. Most issues stem from attractants that draw coyotes into residential areas.
Pet Protection Checklist:
- Never leave pet food outdoors overnight
- Keep cats indoors, especially at dawn and dusk
- Supervise small dogs when outside, even in fenced yards
- Secure trash cans with locking lids
- Remove fallen fruit from ground
- Keep compost enclosed
- Install coyote-proof fencing if you have chickens or small livestock
- Use motion-activated lights to deter nighttime visits
Removing Attractants
The most effective coyote management strategy is removing food attractants. I've worked with neighborhoods that dramatically reduced coyote visits simply by securing garbage and eliminating outdoor pet feeding.
Unintentional feeding creates habituated coyotes that lose their natural fear of humans. These habituated animals are responsible for most conflicts with pets and occasionally people.
When to Be Concerned?
Normal coyote behavior involves avoiding humans. Concerning behaviors that indicate habituation include:
- Coyotes approaching people or pets
- Daytime activity in residential areas with no fear response
- Coyotes following people or leashed pets
- Aggressive displays toward humans
If you observe these behaviors, contact local wildlife authorities. Habituated coyotes may need to be removed or hazed to re-instill natural fear.
Frequently Asked Questions About Coyote Diet
What do coyotes eat mainly?
Coyotes mainly eat small mammals, which make up approximately 75% of their diet. Their primary prey includes rabbits, rodents like mice and voles, squirrels, and other small mammals available in their habitat. They are opportunistic feeders that adapt their diet based on seasonal and regional prey availability.
Do coyotes eat cats and small dogs?
Yes, coyotes do eat cats and small dogs, though it's not their primary food source. In urban areas, studies show cats can make up to 10-15% of coyote diet in some neighborhoods. Small dogs under 25 pounds are vulnerable, especially when left outside unattended. This risk increases where coyotes have become habituated to human-provided foods.
What do coyotes eat in the winter?
In winter, coyotes shift their diet to include more carrion and larger prey. With small mammals less accessible under snow, they rely on deer carcasses, winter-killed animals, and pack hunting of weakened deer. They also consume cached food from fall and any remaining nuts or fruits. Winter is when pack cooperation becomes most important for survival.
What do coyotes eat in urban areas?
Urban coyotes eat a mix of natural prey and human-related food sources. Their diet includes rodents, rabbits, pet food left outdoors, garbage, compost, bird seed, fruit from landscaping, and occasionally domestic cats and small dogs. Studies show urban coyotes derive 30-40% of their diet from human-related sources compared to less than 5% for wild coyotes.
Do coyotes eat deer?
Yes, coyotes eat deer, but primarily fawns rather than adult deer. Coyotes can kill adult deer when working in packs or targeting sick, injured, or winter-weakened animals. Fawn predation peaks during spring when newborn fawns are vulnerable. Research shows coyotes may take 30-50% of fawns in some study areas, though this typically doesn't impact overall deer population health.
Do coyotes eat fruit and vegetables?
Yes, coyotes eat fruit and vegetables regularly. Plant matter constitutes about 15% of their overall diet. They consume berries including blackberries, raspberries, and elderberries, plus apples, pears, persimmons, cactus fruit, watermelon, and various nuts. They also eat grass and occasionally garden vegetables. Fruit consumption peaks in late summer and fall when these foods are most abundant.
What do coyotes eat in the desert?
Desert coyotes eat adapted food sources including kangaroo rats, other desert rodents, lizards, snakes, cactus fruit, insects, and occasional carrion. They obtain moisture from their food, reducing their need for free water. Their diet includes more reptiles and plant matter than coyotes in other regions because traditional prey like rabbits are less abundant in desert environments.
Do coyotes eat garbage?
Yes, coyotes eat garbage, especially in urban and suburban areas. Unsecured trash cans provide a consistent food source that coyotes quickly learn to exploit. They can become habituated to regular garbage routes and patrol neighborhoods on specific days. Garbage is one of several human-related foods that attract coyotes into residential areas and contribute to habituation problems.
What do baby coyotes eat?
Baby coyotes, called pups, nurse on their mother's milk for the first 3-4 weeks. Between 3-5 weeks, parents begin regurgitating partially digested meat for the pups. By 5-8 weeks, pups eat small pieces of meat brought by parents. They transition to whole prey and begin practicing hunting around 8-12 weeks. By 6 months, young coyotes eat an adult diet and hunt independently.
Do coyotes eat rodents?
Yes, rodents are the staple food source for coyotes across North America. Mice, voles, gophers, rats, and ground squirrels form the foundation of coyote diet. A single coyote can consume dozens of rodents daily during population peaks. This heavy rodent predation makes coyotes valuable for natural pest control in agricultural and urban areas.
Do coyotes hunt during the day?
Yes, coyotes can and do hunt during the day, though they are naturally most active at dawn and dusk. In areas with high human activity, urban coyotes often shift to more nocturnal patterns to avoid people. Coyotes may hunt during any time of day when hungry or when opportunities arise, especially during winter when food is scarce and energy needs are high.
What time of day are coyotes most active?
Coyotes are most active at dawn and dusk, making them crepuscular animals. This activity pattern matches the peak activity times of their primary prey. However, coyotes can be active at any time. Urban coyotes often become more nocturnal to avoid human contact, while coyotes in remote areas may show more daytime activity, especially during winter when hunting needs are urgent.
Do coyotes eat snakes?
Yes, coyotes eat snakes when the opportunity arises. Snakes are part of the secondary prey category, meaning coyotes consume them when available but don't rely on them as primary food. Coyotes in desert and southern regions eat more snakes, including rattlesnakes. Coyotes are quick enough to avoid strikes and will kill and consume snakes when other prey is scarce.
Do coyotes eat birds?
Yes, coyotes eat birds, particularly ground-nesting species and their eggs. Birds are secondary prey that coyotes consume opportunistically. They take turkeys, pheasants, grouse, waterfowl, and various songbirds when possible. Nest predation is most common during spring breeding seasons. Coyotes also eat injured birds or those that have collided with structures in urban areas.
How much do coyotes eat per day?
Adult coyotes typically consume 1.5 to 3 pounds of food per day under normal conditions. When food is abundant, they can gorge on up to 10 pounds in a single feeding. This gorging ability allows them to store fat and survive periods of scarcity. Their efficient metabolism enables them to go extended periods without food when necessary.
Do coyotes eat chickens?
Yes, coyotes eat chickens and are significant predators of poultry. They will kill multiple chickens in a single visit, a behavior called surplus killing. Coyotes typically attack chickens by biting the neck or head. Protecting chickens requires secure coops with hardware cloth buried underground, covered runs, and often guardian animals or electric fencing to deter coyote access.
What do coyotes eat in the summer?
In summer, coyotes eat the most diverse diet of the year. Their summer diet includes small mammals, insects like grasshoppers and crickets, berries and fruits, birds and their eggs, reptiles, amphibians, and fish. Summer abundance means coyotes can choose from many food sources, which may provide important nutritional variety that supports their health during this active season.
Do coyotes eat rabbits?
Yes, rabbits are one of the most important prey species for coyotes across North America. Cottontail rabbits and jackrabbits provide significant protein and are taken whenever available. In many regions, rabbits form the single largest component of coyote diet after rodents. Coyotes are skilled at pursuing and catching rabbits, using both stalking and pursuit hunting techniques.
Do coyotes eat squirrels?
Yes, coyotes eat squirrels regularly. Ground squirrels are especially vulnerable and frequently hunted. Tree squirrels are taken when they're on the ground or when accessible. In areas with large ground squirrel populations, these rodents can be a primary food source. Coyotes often patrol ground squirrel colonies and learn the patterns of these prey animals.
Do coyotes eat fish?
Yes, coyotes eat fish when they can catch them, particularly in shallow water during spawning runs. Fish are opportunistic prey rather than a staple food. Coyotes wade into shallow streams and ponds to catch fish that are spawning or trapped in low water. This behavior is most common in areas where fish spawning creates temporary abundance.
Final Thoughts on Coyote Diet
Understanding what coyotes eat reveals why these remarkable canids have succeeded across diverse North American landscapes. Their dietary flexibility allows them to consume over 600 different food items, from desert lizards to urban garbage. This adaptability is the key to their survival and expansion.
From an ecological perspective, coyotes provide valuable services including natural rodent control and regulation of mesopredator populations. Their presence benefits ecosystem health and biodiversity when proper management prevents habituation.
For homeowners and pet owners, knowledge of coyote diet empowers better coexistence strategies. Removing attractants like outdoor pet food and securing garbage dramatically reduces conflict potential. Respecting coyotes as wild animals while appreciating their ecological role creates the foundation for peaceful coexistence.
