Despite their small size, these wily canines require approximately 1. 3 pounds of food daily. They do need different amounts of food, though, depending on their size, the time of year, and where they live.
Like their cousins the wolves, coyotes are skilled hunters with a diverse diet made of many animals. Sometimes, they also eat plants, such as vegetables and fruits.
In light of this statement, this comprehensive guide focuses on the animals that coyotes eat. By the end of this piece, you will have a better understanding of a typical coyote’s diet.
Coyotes (Canis latrans), which are native to North and Central America, are dangerous animals that are related to wolves and dogs. They are an intelligent and versatile species that can adapt to diverse habitats.
In the wild, coyotes thrive in deserts, forests, and grasslands of Mexico, the United States, and Southern America. But due to the increasing human population, these medium-sized canids have been forced into urban and suburban areas. Because of this, human-coyote encounters are no surprise.
At first, it’s easy to confuse a coyote with wolves because they look similar. They share the same brownish-gray and light gray coat colors and bushy tails.
Luckily, there are a few distinguishing features you can use to identify coyotes. For instance, these canines have more slender faces than wolves. They also have thinners snots, small nose pads, and slightly larger ears than their cousins.
Additionally, coyotes are smaller. When fully grown, male coyotes weigh around 50 lbs while females weigh about 22 lbs. But their small size should not fool you because they are remarkable predators.
Coyotes are incredibly adaptive predators that can be found in a wide variety of habitats across North America. As omnivores, they will eat almost anything they can find or catch. But when it comes to fish, do coyotes actually eat them? Let’s take a closer look at the fish eating habits of these clever canines.
An Overview of Coyote Diet and Hunting
Coyotes are opportunistic predators, meaning they will hunt, scavenge and forage for whatever food sources are readily available According to sources, around 90% of a coyote’s diet consists of meat from small mammals like mice, voles and rabbits They also prey on larger animals like deer, especially fawns. Birds, reptiles, amphibians, eggs and even insects round out their carnivorous tastes.
As omnivores though, coyotes will also eat fruits, vegetables, grass and other plant matter. This vegetative portion of their diet tends to increase in late summer and fall when small prey animals are busy fattening up for winter.
Coyotes primarily hunt alone, especially when pursuing small game like rodents. For larger prey like deer, they may work together in pairs or packs in order to take down their quarry. Their excellent sense of smell helps them track prey, while their speed (up to 43 mph) helps them run it down. Coyotes are also stealthy, using cover to stalk close before pouncing with a spectacular leap.
So in terms of fish, do coyotes actively hunt them? Or are fish more of an occasional opportunity for these adaptable predators?
Do Coyotes Actively Hunt Fish?
Research shows that coyotes don’t tend to actively hunt fish in lakes or rivers. Their diet is dominated by small mammals, so they are better adapted for hunting prey on land. Coyotes also lack the swimming abilities of semi-aquatic predators like mink or river otters that are specialized for catching fish.
However, coyotes will take advantage of opportunities to eat fish in certain situations:
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Scavenging fish carcasses: Coyotes will scavenge dead fish washed up on shorelines or left behind by other predators. Rotting fish carcasses are a convenient source of meat.
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Stealing fish catches Coyotes will steal fish caught by animals like bears, eagles and ospreys if given the chance. Their opportunistic nature leads them to pilfer easy meals.
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Predation on spawning salmon Some coyotes have been observed preying on exhausted salmon during the spawning season as the fish struggle upstream. Their weakened state makes them vulnerable
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Eating pet fish: Coyotes that live near humans will eat fish from backyard ponds and water features if access is not prevented. Pet fish are easy pickings.
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Catching fish trapped in shallow water: In drying stream pools, coyotes will eat stranded fish trapped with no means of escape.
So while coyotes are not pursuit predators of fish in open water, they will capitalize on situational opportunities to eat fish when the circumstances tilt the odds in their favor. Their generalist diet allows them to take advantage of whatever food sources present themselves in their habitat.
Where and How Often Do Coyotes Eat Fish?
The frequency with which coyotes eat fish seems to depend largely on habitat and availability. Here are some insights from research on where and how often coyotes incorporate fish into their diet:
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Coyotes studied in Texas showed very little fish in their scat, indicating they ate them infrequently. This is likely due to the arid landscape with limited water sources.
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In coastal regions like South Carolina, fish can compose up to 20% of coyote scat contents in some cases. Nearby marine food sources provide more opportunity.
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Coyotes in the Pacific Northwest eat fish more often, largely due to salmon abundance. One Oregon study found salmon in over 25% of analyzed scats.
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During salmon spawning season, some coyotes can derive up to 60% of their diet from preying on exhausted salmon. This phenomenon is observed in parts of Alaska.
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In urban areas, backyard fish ponds may provide coyotes with supplemental meals. But overall fish do not make up a significant part of their city diets.
So in areas like the Pacific Northwest where salmon runs occur, fish can become a seasonally important food item for coyotes. But in most interior and arid habitats, coyotes only eat fish opportunistically as a very minor part of their varied diet. Access and availability seem to be the main drivers dictating fish consumption frequency.
How Do Coyotes Catch and Eat Fish?
We’ve established that coyotes don’t actively hunt fish in open water due to their limited swimming abilities. But when presented with the opportunity, how do they catch and consume fish meals?
Here are some common coyote fishing methods:
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Scavenging dead or dying fish that have washed ashore or been discarded by other predators. They will scamper off with carcasses to eat.
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Approaching water’s edge and using their paws to swat out fish close to the surface. They pin fish to the bank and quickly snap them up.
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Pouncing on thrashing salmon struggling upstream to spawn who become stranded in shallow riffles. They grab and immobilize fish from close range.
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Plucking up fish trapped in small drying stream pools or potholes with no means of escape. Trapped fish are easy pickings.
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Snatching unauthorized meals from the kills of other fish-eating predators when they can. Coyotes are known for stealing from eagles and otters.
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Raiding backyard fish ponds that lack proper safeguards. Coyotes fish out unprotected pet fish stuck in confined spaces.
Coyotes possess excellent stalking skills for stealthily approaching fish, combined with agile paws for pinning and dexterous jaws for consuming their slippery prey. Scavenging dead or trapped fish is preferential, but coyotes can catch live fish if conditions are right.
Do Coyotes Eat Freshwater or Saltwater Fish?
Another consideration is whether coyotes have preferences when it comes to freshwater or saltwater fish. The research shows:
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Inland coyotes far from the ocean subsist on freshwater fish species found in lakes, streams, rivers and ponds when available. Trout, bass and panfish are examples.
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Coastal coyotes take advantage of marine food sources, eating saltwater fish and dead seabirds. Fish like menhaden, mullet and flounder show up in their scat.
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Salmon transition between fresh and saltwater, so they provide seasonal fish meals for both inland and coastal coyote populations along their migration route.
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Urban coyotes will eat ornamental pond fish raised in freshwater. Goldfish, koi and carp often end up as backyard coyote snacks.
So while inland coyotes are restricted to freshwater fish when available nearby, coastal coyotes take advantage of both freshwater and marine food sources. The diversity of fish coyotes consume reflects local habitat and availability.
Coyote Diet and Feeding Behavior
Because coyotes belong to the family Canidae (canines), many individuals assume they are carnivores. But this is not entirely true because these creatures are also opportunistic omnivores.
That means they will consume plants and animal matter whenever they are available to them. For this reason, they can survive in many climates, ranging from deserts to urban areas.
Nevertheless, their carnivorous instincts often take center stage. The reason is that coyotes possess the keen senses, speed, and agility essential for hunting. Combined with their predatory prowess, coyotes have established a reputation as skilled predators.
Approximately 90 percent of the coyote’s diet is meat from a selection of small animals, birds, amphibians, etc. Below, we have narrowed down some animals coyotes’ fancy. Check them out!.
In the wilderness, coyotes occasionally hunt small mammals scurrying through fields and burrows, including:
- Mice
- Voles
- Hamsters
- Guinea pigs
- Rabbits
- Squirrels
- Cubs of black bears and grizzly bears
- Meso-carnivores, like raccoons, skunks, and foxes
Even though most small mammals look cute and harmless, they can be a real pain for ecosystems and people who live in them.
Problems like overgrazing and habitat loss can happen when the number of rabbits in an area is higher than what it can support.
If there are too many small rodents in a home, they can damage crops and gardens, make people sick, and damage buildings.
Predators like coyotes help to keep the population of these animals in check. That means they help balance off the ecosystem of a place.
Coyotes are not limited only to land-dwelling creatures. They also have their eyes set on poultry and birds.
While birds are not their primary food source, these furry animals usually hunt a selection of avian species. With their heightened agility and speed, coyotes can chase and catch sparrows, songbirds, wild turkeys, pheasants, and others.
Besides wild birds, they often stalk backyard poultry, including chickens, turkeys, pigeons, quails, ducks, etc.
Coyotes that live in urban and suburban areas can make a meal of pets like cats and dogs. These predators are opportunistic and will hunt down tame and feral cats. This usually happens when their natural prey is scarce.
Although they might avoid larger dog breeds, smaller breeds are not so safe. Nonetheless, such attacks are relatively rare.
It comes as no surprise that coyotes occasionally eat reptiles and amphibians. They are very flexible, after all, and often change what they eat based on what is available in the area. So, if they live in a region with snakes, coyotes will eat the slithering creatures to sustain themselves.
Apart from snakes, coyotes will eat the following reptiles and amphibians:
However, they don’t eat some toads because they are poisonous.
Fish and Marine Mammals
Some coyotes have developed a taste for marine animals. So, it’s not uncommon to find coyotes hunting for fish in rivers, ponds, and streams. They also devour dead fish and marine mammals’ carcasses that wash ashore.
Additionally, coyotes have been seen hunting young harps and elephant seals. However, marine animals don’t make up a significant percentage of coyotes’ diet. This is because coyotes are not well-adapted to aquatic hunting.
When not hunting small animals, coyotes delight themselves in a meal of insects and invertebrates. From scorpions and spiders to grasshoppers, coyotes help control insect populations. This unique adaptation to available food sources shows their determination to maintain good health and survive.
Coyotes are not limited to small prey only; they can also take down big game animals. When hunting in a pack, these canines can kill larger mammals in their territory, including:
Most of the time, they go after animals that are weak, like those that are pregnant, sick, old, or stuck in the snow.
Like hyenas, coyotes are scavengers. Sometimes, they consume carcasses of larger animals killed by other predators. This rings true when food resources are limited.
Sometimes, bold coyotes can break into farms and eat domestic sheep and cattle. As said above, they may primarily target young, weak, or isolated livestock.
If that’s not enough, they can adapt their hunting techniques to identify and exploit weaknesses in fencing. As a result, they pose a significant threat to farm animals.
What do coyotes eat?
What do coyotes eat?
Coyotes are omnivores but are highly carnivorous and eat a variety of different prey depending on where they live. Coyotes eat insects, amphibians, fish, small reptiles, birds, rodents, and larger mammals including white-tailed deer, elk, bighorn sheep, bison, and moose. Birds preyed upon by coyotes include thrashers, sparrows, and wild turkeys.
Do coyotes eat pond fish?
Cover your pond if you live in an area with wild animals (as many do) and have an outdoor fishpond. Use chicken wire or anything you can as a barrier because coyotes are not the only opportunistic creatures with a taste for fish. Moreover, all the other animals that stalk pond fish are prey for the coyote. It’s like sending out an invite.
Do coyotes eat birds?
Coyotes, whether hunting in packs or alone, will generally target vulnerable animals such as pregnant animals, sick animals, or those stuck in snow or ice. Coyotes are fast and agile hunters. They can even catch small birds, like sparrows. They will also stalk backyard chickens, turkey farms, and any other domestic birds they can grab.
Do coyotes eat chocolate?
Certain human foods, like chocolate or foods containing xylitol, can be toxic to them as they are to other animals. As omnivorous predators, coyotes consume a wide variety of food items, adjusting their diet based on their environment, the availability of food, and the changing seasons.