Who’s With The Kids, Mom – by Charles Wood
08 May 2012 Leave a Comment
in coyote behavior, pupping, territoriality
Here in LA County Monday I saw Mom. I hadn’t sighted her for three weeks. My two dogs were with me.
The video shows Mom standing at an entrance to her den area. The puppies are still too young to be out. No doubt her helpers were busy with the puppies somewhere in the thick brush behind her. Mom’s body language was informative.
Mom was not relaxed and was in a predicament. She couldn’t immediately leave because her puppies were nearby and we were a potential threat. Yet she was outnumbered and felt she couldn’t assert herself, either by facing us, by making direct eye contact, or both. On the other hand, she couldn’t look away, couldn’t show vulnerability. Consequently she half looked at us. Her left rear leg, closest to us, was cocked and ready for action. Her body language said concurrently “Don’t come here” and “I’m not coming there.” She may not look particularly courageous, but she definitely is.
I was standing when I took the video. When done, I sat down. Mom left a few moments later, having read me correctly as not opposing her. My dogs and I left to stand and watch at a the rendezvous spot.
Dad showed there twelve minutes later. He stood still and made some direct eye contact. I made the dogs lie down. Once they were down, Dad sat. He didn’t get up again until I made the dogs get up to leave. When the dogs rose, so did Dad.
At issue between my dogs and both coyotes was contact. The coyotes didn’t want contact. They wanted us to go away.
As an aside, I’ve been seeing lots of rabbits lately. About ten minutes before Mom showed Monday, two rabbits, as is their habit, scurried around on the road and went into the brush near where Mom later stood. Similarly in the rendezvous area, a few rabbits bound around. Yet rabbit movement doesn’t appear to be tied to the coming or going of my coyotes. When I see rabbits moving around in the open at dusk, in areas my coyotes come every day at that time, I shake my head and wonder about rabbit minds. Still, I’ve never seen my coyotes bother any of those frisky rabbits at dusk.
Dad
A year ago, a pet black rabbit was abandoned in the park near my coyotes’ home. I’ve seen my coyotes close to where that black rabbit resides. A year ago, thinking myself wise, I gave the rabbit two weeks tops. It was sad that the coyotes would take it, I thought, and contemplated nature’s hard ways. I was wrong. I see the black rabbit most days when I go see my coyotes, saw it a few days ago and it is fine.
Pupping Season, by Charles Wood
01 Apr 2012 Leave a Comment
Dad
Here in LA County my coyote watching continues. The pack I’ve followed for several years has been near their den area after a hiatus of many months. Last year several yearlings stayed with the two I call Mom and Dad, stayed at least through the fall. The two younger coyotes I’ve seen in the last month may be last year’s yearlings, last year’s pups, or both. The coyote sitting is a young one that has stationed itself at the den area entrance. It is helping its parents by its vigilance. The standing coyote barking is its father, Dad.
Helper
Dad’s health has improved since last summer. He is active, has a healthy coat, and is of normal weight. Dad is pictured dividing his warning yips between me and some unknown annoyance outside the left of the frame. He is headed towards the den area, already guarded by at least one other family member.
It is about time for Mom, if indeed pregnant, to deliver her pups. It sure looks like her family is preparing for just such an event.
Posting written by Charles Wood. Visit Charles Wood’s website for more coyote photos: Charles Wood. His work is copyrighted and may only be used with his explicit permission.
First Contact In Pupping Season, by Charles Wood
26 Feb 2012 2 Comments
in coyote behavior, coyote living areas, pupping
Here in south Los Angeles county I haven’t seen any of my coyote pack members since the end of December. I still haven’t, but on Saturday one did let me know it was there.
I’ve been in their field lately about once every two weeks and none until Saturday objected. I stood near the entrance to their den area, pictured, with my leashed dog Holtz. I fiddled with somewhat moist coyote scat. For a moment Holtz stared intently into the bushes. I looked too and didn’t see anything. Getting cautious, deciding the scat was neither new nor old, we moved along and walked away from the entrance area. Holtz was compliant by my side instead of, as is usual, tugging for the lead. Suddenly a hidden coyote flitted in dried leaves to our side. Holtz did not look towards the noise. I looked hoping to see a coyote. It rustled dried leaves again, moving back and forth along our direction of travel. I cautioned it with a yell. It did not show itself and was about twenty feet away.
By its behavior, the coyote sent us much information. It’s scat told me the area was claimed. Its noises revealed a place particularly important to the coyote at this time, pupping season. I walk exactly there at other times of the year without coyote contact. Further, the coyote, by rustling leaves along our path of travel, marked a line in the brush past which we were not to come. By its speed and energy it told us it was agile and strong.
My coyotes have spoken. It is now time for me to watch them from points outside their field.
Interestingly, when the coyote rustled leaves, Holtz didn’t look. Holtz must have already known that it was a coyote making the noise. They probably had eye contact when Holtz had earlier stared into the bushes. Holtz had already been told to leave and the coyote added rustled leaves to emphasize where Holtz should never think to go.
Finally, I don’t know why the coyote didn’t come out and show itself. My coyotes have done so in the past, Mom in exactly this place about two years ago after pupping. I’ve annoyed all my coyotes enough to where they aren’t shy about coming out to scrape dirt or bark. Perhaps it was a coyote that didn’t know us.
Posting written by Charles Wood. Visit Charles Wood’s website for more photos: Charles Wood. His work is copyrighted and may only be used with his explicit permission.
More Dens
28 Aug 2011 1 Comment
in pupping Tags: coyote behavior, coyotes, urban coyotes
A friend let me know that she discovered a coyote den fairly close to her own home! Chert rock formations and outcroppings are common throughout the entire Bay Area. The den apparently was not used this year and is not being used now, though she told me that several years ago she heard coyote pups all the time from that area. It appears to be a very “classical” den, with a very deep entryway protected by an overhanging rock. And, of course, it is located in a hidden and secluded area, although not far from my friend’s home.
I wanted to find out more about the den, but it would have been impractical to dig it out, and I was fearful of sticking my hand in it: who knows what might be lurking in there now! What you see here is the opening into a large hollow area. There had been a mass of overgrown tangled blackberry brambles hiding the entryway, and it was only when these were thinned out that the den opening became visible at all. It is likely there is another opening close by, hidden like this one had been.
Not far from her home, about an eighth of a mile away, is another den which her neighbor told me about. It is completely different from this one, consisting of a flat area hidden below tall grasses close to a natural spring — not a cave at all. I couldn’t get a photo of this one, also hidden in thick brambles. But I am sure, it being so close to the other one, and from what these folks told me, that it was used by the same coyote family.
Coyote dens are used for giving birth and nursing young pups. Most coyotes have several dens between which they move the youngsters, both for protection against possible predators and to escape from bug infestations. As the coyote pups grow up, they stop using the dens. Adult coyotes sleep out in the open or under bushes, usually during daytime hours.
Rendezvous, by Charles Wood
24 Jul 2011 4 Comments
in coyote behavior, family interactions, group activity, pupping, video
Saturday at dusk Mom sat watching me when Mister, her yearling son, came towards her down their hill. His dad approached Mom, coming from the east. Mister burst towards them and the three had a rendezvous. Near the end of the video, Dad works to settle Mister down. A little after that Mom shows Mister some teeth and he drops onto his side: almost as if Mom shot him dead!
These three, after the rendezvous, tried to cross under the bridge into the nature preserve. However they wouldn’t go under the bridge with me standing there. While waiting to pass, they began to yip, the upset kind. I left so they could continue on their way.
Significantly, Mom and Dad were together without their new puppies. Are there new puppies this year? If so, were they at dusk Saturday unattended or being cared for by one or both of the other yearlings, Bold and Shy? If either alone or being cared for, where?
I don’t know. Last year Mom and Dad raised their puppies without help. Last year when I saw puppies, Dad was with them. At times I saw Dad alone without either Mom or puppies. Seeing solitary Dad meant to me that Mom must have been with the puppies. This year there are too many full grown coyotes around to allow such guesswork. Yearlings may make life easier for Mom and Dad, but they make my life, though richer with coyotes, harder.
Posting written by Charles Wood. Visit Charles Wood’s website for more coyote photos: Charles Wood. His work is copyrighted and may only be used with his explicit permission.
Signs of Scat, An Old Coyote, A Sick Ewe and A Dead Rabbit: More on Ginny’s Coyote Area
22 Jul 2011 Leave a Comment
in coyote behavior, coyote living areas, coyote paths, coyote scat, indirect signs of coyote presence, pupping
Hi Janet,
scat upon scat (now with mold)
Yesterday I walked the other way onto the well-used multi-purpose trail called the Springwater Trail. The first half mile of the trail heading east has had a lot of scat at times. This is the area I referred to as being half a mile away and possibly containing a den. Yesterday there was only one quite recent pile while everything else had been there a week ago. Today I walked to the pups sighting location. No new scat anywhere. I’m wondering if that means the pups have been moved. I also checked another part of the trail not too far away and found no new scat. I have seen a lot of it there before also.
We saw the lame coyote once when he trotted in front of our car. He looked and moved like a very old dog would move and that is why I label him as old. He is not thin but is very ragged looking. I have only seen a coyote once on the trail (that is how I found your blog because I wanted to learn all that I could about them) and that was right at the trail entrance near our house. Hunting for rabbits no doubt! Bud saw an adult last fall on one of his walks. Both of these had beautiful coats and seemed very healthy.
trail where pups appeared
Last week I met a family with grandparents walking on the trail and mentioned the coyote scat to the children. The grandparents told me they have sheep and coyotes stand at their fence and sing and whine all the time. The grandfather told me that recently he had a sick, old ewe and THREE DAYS later when he went to check on her he only found most of her skeleton. He is sure the coyotes picked her clean – including her gum tissue and ribs. They said coyotes would infrequently take a newborn lamb after I asked if they thought the coyotes actually killed anything. Any person who would knowingly leave a sick animal for three days – well I cannot relate to them. I’m very cautious what I say to people on the trail about the coyotes. One man we see on the trail is sure someone shot coyotes a few years back.
blackberries through which pups disappeared; there is more scat again now, indicating resumed activity in the immediate area
On Monday I noticed a dead rabbit at the beginning of the trail which is near our house. It appeared to have died mid-crawl. I turned it over and did not see any injuries or changes in hair. About a week earlier Bud said “it smells like something died in the blackberries” as we walked by the same location. Several neighbors and dog walkers who use the trail came to the same conclusion I did – that a neighbor might be poisoning rabbits. We are all very concerned. I really hope this is not the case. Yes, rabbits do incredible damage to yards and gardens but rabbit fencing keeps them out. I know, we added it to the existing deer fence around our yard. Yesterday the rabbit was gone but I suspect a neighbor disposed of it. I have read that coyotes are very smart about not consuming poisoned food and I hope that is the case here. We have a family of red-tailed hawks in the greenspace that I am really enjoying and I think they prefer freshly killed prey over carrion. Poison can travel so fast up and down the food chain.
I’ll let you know if I notice any changes. I don’t expect to see coyotes because our dog really seems to have a history with coyotes. He is a Bouvier rescue we have had almost a year. He spent several years running loose on the NM mesas and he thinks deer, coyotes and rabbits are to be chased. He also barks like crazy. I’m sure the local coyotes know him and make sure not to reveal themselves to us!
Ginny
Why Isn’t Mom Around?
14 Jul 2011 2 Comments
in care for the young, coyote behavior, coyote living areas, coyote reactions to dogs, curiosity, dog reactions to coyotes, family interactions, individuality, pupping
Hi Janet:
Last evening my husband, Bud, and our dog were walking on the nearby trails and saw a coyote pup about 150 feet ahead zigzagging back and forth on the trail. He stopped, remembering that I had told him that coyotes are very protective of pups. Our dog has a bad sense of smell so didn’t notice the pup. Then another pup comes out of the blackberries and then a third. They were very curious and moved about 50 feet down the trail toward Bud and still our dog did not see or smell them.
Bud was delighted but also concerned and was ready to turn around when the little yapper dog who lives much further up the hill but next to the trail saw our dog and came down the trail full throttle and barking loudly. He was not at all interested in the pups but he did scare them and they dashed into the blackberry bushes. Bud continued up the trail and only when he got to the spot they disappeared into did our dog smell them. He then went nuts of course.
Is this normal for pups to be exploring without an adult near? We knew that there was a den closeby that area because of the amount of scat on the trail. We have noticed pup scat lately also. We also suspect there is another den about half a mile from this one. How much area does a group of coyotes claim? Or do they claim it at all?
We have many black-tailed deer in the area and many fawns each spring. I have been curious about the possibility of coyotes killing very young fawns that are left in hiding while their mothers graze elsewhere. I have never seen any evidence of this happening. Does it?
Thanks for all you do for coyotes! Ginny
~~~~~~~
Hi Ginny –
Thanks for sharing your concerns — it’s a very interesting situation. From my own experience and from what I have read, coyote pups are keenly watched by their parents — either by one or by both parents. Even if a parent is not apparently around, the parent/s are always close by and ready to defend the pups if necessary. I should add that I have seen a mother coyote keep an eye on her brood from a huge distance away — she kept an eye on them as she relaxed in the sunshine. And then I saw her dash off in their direction, but I do not know why. Mothers do leave their pups when they go off to hunt, but she tucks them away in a safe spot where they normally stay.
Other possible explanations for pups without a parent close by, include an overtaxed single parent who happens to be in hot pursuit of prey nearby, or a parent holding off another dog which had chased it in hopes that that dog wouldn’t find the pups. Worse would be if the parents have been injured or are ill and unable to defend their brood, or if they’ve met an untimely death.
More than likely, the pups just strayed from where they were supposed to stay put. But it wouldn’t hurt to check on them.
Maybe you could take walks in that area of the woods for the next few days until you can figure out the situation? Whatever you do, don’t get too close to the pups and don’t try picking them up — a parent coyote may come out of hiding to ferociously defend its young. If you continue to see the pups without a parent, you have a dilemma: I’m not sure the pups can survive without their parents, however anything you do to interfere is going to alter their natural lives forever.
If you see the pups alone again, you could call the humane society. If they are progressive, they would help raise the pups in such a way so that they won’t become habituated and so that they can be released again into the wild. Most humane societies are not equipped to do this.
You could also leave the pups to see if they make it on their own — maybe the humane society could suggest a way for you to help these pups without actually intruding on them or overtly interfering so as not to habituate them or alter their wildness?
As for the fawns, coyotes tend to look for the easiest prey to catch. Voles and gophers work fine in my area, but they also eat skunks, raccoons and squirrels here. Yes, coyotes are known to prey on newborn deer. I’ve read where newborn deer are protected by their lack of odor — I don’t know how much protection this offers against coyotes. But also, coyotes are known to be very individualistic in their behaviors and just because coyotes in one area eat certain prey doesn’t mean they do so in other areas. So to find out what yours specifically are up to and what their eating and preying habits are, you would need to explore for such activity.
You said there was another den only half a mile away from this one. A coyote family normally has more than one den which it moves the pups between. Moving the pups diminishes flea infestations and also it serves as protection against predators.
Also, it is not unusual for coyotes — including very young ones — to be curious about walkers and dogs, and follow them. However, a parent — if he is around — may decide that this kind of behavior calls for disciplinary action: see Charles Wood’s posting More Dominant Male/Father Coyote Behavior .
I hope this helps a little. Please let me know, and please keep me posted on what you find out! Sincerely, Janet
~~~~~~~
Thanks for your reply Janet. Bud went to the same spot tonight and didn’t see the pups. There is a lot of underbrush and blackberries everywhere along the trail except where it has been removed as invasive species. Coyotes are not seen often because of this. Lots of people let their dogs run loose on the trail but Bud did not see anyone else yesterday although it is a fairly large, heavily wooded area with several trails.
Regulars on the trail only see coyotes a few times a year. Most of the trees are deciduous so I really tried to spot them during the winter but no such luck. I think they are very used to the dogs and walkers and so know where to locate so they are not within view. We will keep an eye on the situation as best we can. The city only removes invasive species by hand so they do not have funding for much work. They primarily remove the holly trees hoping to attract songbirds. There are some songbirds there but also in residence is a Cooper’s Hawk(s) who dines on those same songbirds. Ginny
Dad In Charge, by Charles Wood
06 Jul 2011 1 Comment
in care for the young, coyote behavior, coyote reactions to dogs, group activity, pupping
Dad stops
Tuesday I saw Dad at the east end of their east west dirt road, as was Mom Saturday. Both Mom and Dad, Saturday and Tuesday, respectively, appeared east and headed west. Last Thursday, Bold instead moved from west to east on that road to arrive at the eastern spot where I had seen Mom (and Dad Tuesday) start out. Mister frequently heads from west to east on that road, as did Bold last Thursday. Dad and Mister recently headed together from west to east, which I read as Mom having the puppies somewhere else. (All this activity usually takes place in the hour before and then during dusk.) Last Friday, Mom and the three yearlings were together a bit west of that area. They appeared to be waiting for Dad to come west to them. I reasoned that he must have had the new puppies with him, though I couldn’t confirm it because he didn’t show up while I was there.
Nor could I confirm on Tuesday that Dad had the new puppies in tow. Interestingly, once he spotted me, he turned around and trotted back to the cement ditch, exasperatingly out of my view, from which he had just come. Then he trotted out again to stare and to sit. He had a view of both me and the ditch. My thinking is that he had run back to another adult coyote and messaged it to not bring the puppies out. I guessed there was another adult coyote there because last year, Dad was not by himself able to stop an avalanche of marauding puppies in tow. The puppies were always slow to recognize his danger messages, mostly glares and grimaces, placed on the puppies once he would spot me. Last year it would take him time and effort to corral them and move them away from me and into safe brush. The puppies were slow to glean his meaning, mostly taking an inordinate amount of time to respond appropriately, even at six months of age. Tuesday, if indeed he had gone back to warn, his orders were followed instantly, something I only conceive of an adult coyote being able to do. Once he sat, he was in control of both me and his presumed followers.
Dad down
Once I’m spotted, the only activity I generally see are waiting, watching, leaving and/or warning me. Consequently, Tuesday I moved west to wait for Dad to proceed. A few minutes later, Dad came along, defecated and then sat staring at me where I was on the bridge. A rabbit cavorted in front of him just a bit away. Then Dad bolted to the east, scaring the bejesus out of the rabbit who ran into the brush! It needn’t have worried at that point. Things to the east had evidently gotten out of hand and undistractible Dad went back presumably to reassert control of his pack for their own good. Just after Dad headed back east, another coyote came from the north and went south under the bridge where, once in the field, it headed east to where Dad had bolted.
It is starting to look like a part of my coyote pack takes the new puppies into the nature preserve for at least the afternoons, leaving it for their field around twilight, rendezvous time. Fortunately for my coyotes, the nature preserve’s boundary road, a major Los Angeles/Orange County east west running street, has two large drainage culverts under it as well as a utility road running under the bridge I stand on. My coyotes make good use of those safe passages under a heavily trafficked street to go back and forth between the nature preserve and their field. If I am able to confirm that the puppies are being schooled in the nature preserve in the afternoons, then that is a break with last year’s afternoon use of their field as a puppy school.
Dad ignores rabbit
I hope I am able to convey in the foregoing some of the competence I see displayed by Dad. The “Dad Stops” photograph reminds me of many of his good qualities. Among them, total information awareness, his eyes on his present object of interest, his ears perked to assess where he has been and where he is going; decisiveness in action, where he acts with confidence and competence, Tuesday to make his space safe for himself and his progeny; he commits entirely to a course of action and doesn’t quit until he has achieved his aims, seeming to know from start to finish what is required of him; and he digs in and he takes the initiative, sometimes making a stand, sometimes instead taking to the brush. All of which qualities in the same degree I have also observed in his mate, Mom. I’m fairly certain that the yearlings are learning some of their final lessons before dispersing, lessons about guarding and secreting puppies, the tactics of how to fully inherit their “ghost species” legacy.
Posting written by Charles Wood. Visit Charles Wood’s website for these and more coyote photos: Charles Wood. His work is copyrighted and may only be used with his explicit permission.
Youngsters Are Emerging — Please Keep Your Distance!
16 Jun 2011 Leave a Comment
in care for the young, coexisting with coyotes, communication, coyote behavior, pupping
Youngster -- about three months old
Few people will ever see very young coyote pups due to the coyote’s secretive nature and to the extraordinary care of the parents. But, then again, you might be lucky. Until now, they have been kept well-hidden, but now they are beginning to move around in wider areas as they learn from their parents how to hunt and take care of themselves.
IF a youngster sees you, it is likely to flee quickly. But sometimes curiosity causes them to peek out and watch what is going on. Or, you might catch a family on a twilight trek.
Parents can be particularly edgy at this time of year if you get too close. If you know you are in a coyote area, please keep your dogs leashed and be ready for a protective mom. If you have a dog, it might be a good idea, for a while, to avoid areas where you have seen coyotes in the past. Dogs are the chief threats to coyotes and their pups.
It is best not to linger in their presence and to continue moving AWAY from any coyote you see. This allows them to feel that you are not after them — it allows them to feel safe. If a mother or father feels that their brood is endangered, they have ways of communicating this to your dog: they’ll put on ferocious displays to warn you and your dog off — this is their first line of defense — a scare tactic. Most of it is bluff, but please take heed, because mothers WILL defend themselves and their pups if they are, or feel they are, intruded upon or threatened in any way.
Yearling -- a year older
Coyotes are territorial, so they feel protective not only towards their families, but also towards their spaces, especially during this time when pups are beginning to explore the wider world. Coyotes treat “outsider” coyotes and dogs in the same manner and for the same reasons. Please let’s understand them and respect their needs!
