Coyote Interrupted

14 Jan 2012 4 Comments

by yipps:janetkessler in coyote behavior, coyote reactions to dogs, dog reactions to coyotes, oneupmanship, video Tags: coyote, coyote behavior, coyotes, dogs and coyotes, urban coyotes

Sirens set this coyote off, with long drawn-out howls and barking, and pauses in-between. I’ve only included part of the recording here. During one of the last pauses you will hear, unusually, a dog’s response, which surprises the coyote who stops to carefully listen. “What the. . . . . who does he think he is?” Anyway, the interruption seems to tick off the coyote who throws herself into the next howl with a spirited leap, howls some more, and then hurries off to a place where she might get a view of her competitor. I don’t think she saw anyone. The coyote continued to howl, but the dog did not, and the siren had long since ceased, so things quieted down fairly quickly.

4 Comments (+add yours?)

Diana Liverman
Jan 24, 2012 @ 00:06:10

I just wanted to tell you how much I enjoy your blog, photos and videos. I walk my dog twice a day in a downtown neighborhood in Tucson, Arizona where there is a large wooded area that is home to a family of coyotes (and plenty of rabbits for them to eat). I have been watching them closely since last May when they had three pups…at one point there were 5 adults guarding the pups…they were not aggressive but they did bark at us a few times. Now there seem to be only 4 – two older, two younger – and I am wondering if we will get pups again this year. They eat a lot of mesquite pods (as does my dog) and since we are near the hospital they regularly sing at the sirens! Diana

Reply
- yipps
  Jan 24, 2012 @ 00:24:45
  
  Thank you, Diana! I’m glad you like the blog. I enjoyed hearing your observations. I’m wondering if the other adults guarding the pups might be from a previous litter of the same parents? I think this is how it generally works. I would love to hear more from you about your coyotes if something comes up. Again, thank you for your input! Janet
- Diana Liverman
  Jan 24, 2012 @ 00:41:00
  
  I think the guards could be from a previous litter but would they then leave once the pups are a little older? I will send you a couple of my photos of ‘my’ group and dog (he is an Australian Shepherd who studiously ignores the coyotes)
- yipps
  Jan 24, 2012 @ 00:48:29
  
  I don’t actually know how long the “guards” would stick around. I would love to see your coyotes. My own mixed Shepherd also “studiously” ignored all coyotes. I always saw it as being able to read each other and respecting what was expected.