Coyote Yipps

This is a male coyote responding to the sounds of a siren. Doesn’t look like he’s too into it! The siren petered out quickly, and so did any enthusiasm for howling!

Male vocalizations appear to be lower pitched than females, and consist of more actual barks than howls. I’ve never heard a male sustain a tremolo the way a female does — I wonder if this is a generalizable truth, or if it is just so for the coyotes I’ve heard?

In this clip, Dad is evasive as he comes toward the camera. Coyotes are typically very aware of and present in their environment, and Dad is no exception. Facing him are the camera, two good sized dogs, and me. As usual, Dad saw us first.  He came on along regardless. From Dad there is no trust, ever. Yet he is familiar with my dogs’ and my habits. I think his yawn tells us he has only mild concerns. Notice that Dad checks to his rear and flanks. I’ve never seen anything of interest in the directions he looks. Seems like he just does that.

In the last section of the clip Dad performs an act typical of a dog on a walk. He passes by a scent and then returns to it, doing what we all expect him to do. We expect it because it is canine habitual behavior. I suspect that Dad can’t not do it, just as we humans can’t not talk to each other. Dad’s scent is a message to other coyotes, telling them that he is still there. Dad’s family likes that message. To intruder coyotes, it is a cautionary tale.

Mom in this clip looks to be a bit larger and fuller than Dad. At about fifteen seconds in, after pausing to look at passersby on the river bank, Mom yawns. I think her yawn is from low level anxiety about being watched by my two dogs and me. We are at least a hundred yards apart.

Mom was itchy that day, slowing progress on the trail. Dad stays with her though. Toward the end of the clip, Dad picks up his pace yet Mom doesn’t. So Dad slows down until she is willing to trot with him. They begin to get going pretty well when Mom’s feet seem to hit something unexpected. Wouldn’t you know it? Mom slows down! Then, just after that, she has to scratch herself again. Seems like they will never get to the den area, about 200 feet off camera right. I think there is an incredible amount of communication passing between those mates.

I’m sure these coyotes have come to this place knowing that they might “get that young raccoon this time.”  They have probably tried many times before and failed to flush it out. These bushes are located on one of their trekking routes, in back of some houses. Coyotes will keep trying — hope reigns supreme — and they may win some day. But raccoons, too, learn from experience, and this raccoon has probably developed some “coyote smarts”. I never did see the raccoon, but wow, I discovered that they have a vicious bark! I had to call a wildlife specialist to find out who owned that bark — I was told that it was a young raccoon. Larger and older raccoons can defend themselves well against coyotes.

Of interest is that the coyotes are working as a team. They look at each other and take cues from each other. One knows when it’s best to move out of the way and to step aside to let the other do the job. Also of interest is how the coyotes actually walk on top of the bushes — the bushes are much too dense for them to plow their way through with feet on the ground, but walking on top of them works!

When the smell you want to smother yourself in is on the top of and beside a log, it takes a bit of maneuvering to get all your parts covered.

This video shows two coyotes on different days. The first coyote is a female intruder leaving my packs territory. I had thought that coyotes could walk with comfort everywhere. Now I don’t think so.

The second coyote is Dad. I wondered if, like my dog, Dad would avoid stepping in a big puddle. He did.