A coyote might feel very comfortable watching activity in a park from a high ledge which is 100-200 feet away from a path. I had occasion to watch a coyote who did this two days in a row, and I was able to see two distinct reactions to passers by, based on if there was a dog involved.
First, a lone runner came by. The runner could not have seen the coyote because of the configuration of the path. The coyote heard the runner, got up and looked, and then disappeared in a flash. The runner jogged on by without ever seeing the coyote. That was the end of that. Coyotes do not want humans to get close to them and will make an effort to keep their distance and also hide. Another reaction I have seen to a human coming down a path is for the coyote to run off a distance and remain absolutely still and thus difficult to see.
On the second day I saw this same coyote relaxing on the same ledge. Before I knew what was going on, I saw the coyote bolt up and disappear in a flash. Not until then did I see that a man and his dog were walking in the coyote’s direction. Neither had seen the coyote at this initial meeting and therefore they not react. Because of the dog, there was more going on this time. I could not see where the coyote had gone, however, within a few minutes I heard the coyote barking in its distressed manner about 500 feet further on. I headed in that direction. I have only heard coyotes bark when they have been intruded upon. Yes, the coyote had been intruded upon, but the barking had not begun until the dog probably faced the coyote, even if there was a substantial distance between them.
Although I never did spot the coyote visually after it had moved, I did see the same man and his dog right at the spot where I had heard the coyote — he was walking away from the direction the coyote’s barking came from. I don’t think that the coyote had “delayed” its barking. The coyote must have actually followed them, unnoticed, to check them out and see where they were headed. It is when the coyote finally was noticed that the coyote’s barking reaction occurred. I don’t know if there had been a chase involved in this case or if the dog just turned towards the coyote. Anyway, the coyote ended up barking its discontent loudly, but not for as long as I have heard in the past. This was for only 4 minutes rather than 20.
Coyotes have a much keener interest in dogs and a total disinterest humans, even though there is a need to keep their distance from both. The coyote needs to find out more about the dogs, and may approach them not only to find out if there is a possibility of them becoming a potential threat, but to let them know through intimidating displays to keep away.
