Coyotes are common in the Sierra Nevada. It's not unusual to hear them howling and singing at night, either alone or with a pack.
They are generally about the size of the average dog with a length of 42 to 52 inches and a weight of 20 to 30 pounds. Wolves and coyotes can look very similar, but coyotes are smaller and have more pointed ears than wolves.
Coyotes may live alone or in small packs depending on resources, competition and other factors.
They usually use rock dens or enlarged burrows for shelter.
What do coyotes eat?
They adapt to their fluctuating access to food resources, by both scavenging and hunting when necessary. They may hunt alone, or strategically in pairs or a pack. Much of their diet includes plants, such as manzanita berries and juniper berries, and prey, such as gophers, rabbits, mice, and grasshoppers.
How do coyotes reproduce?
Females give birth to about three or more young each year, which are cared for by both parents for 6 to 9 months. Coyotes breed in winter and young are born in spring, from March through May, with the females being pregnant for about 3 months. Pairs tend to stay together for many years.
