But, I had to leave them with some grandfatherly advice: I reminded the boys that their dinner probably was waiting for them. Now, the sun was beginning to dip below the tree line. The coyote turned his head toward the howling and slipped out of sight, deeper into the bushes, and was gone. My boys guessed right and said perhaps this was a call summoning our new coyote friend. Just then, we heard a high, quavering howl in the distance. These calls are made throughout the year, but they are most common during the spring mating season, and in the fall when the pups leave their families to establish new territories. Please answer and let me know where you are so we don’t have any unwanted conflicts.” Other males are invited to stay away, but females are welcome to follow the sound of my voice. This howl is said to be an announcement that: Howls are used to keep in touch with other coyotes in the area. At night, coyotes both howl (a high-quavering cry) and emit a series of short, high-pitched yips. While the human rarely sight coyotes, it is not unusual to hear them at night. It may also take advantage of its stamina to chase its prey over long distances, and then strike when the once it is exhausted. The coyote often tracks its prey for 20 to 30 minutes before pouncing. They are evasive and secretive, so while we may hear them howl, we seldom see them. They enjoy keen vision, keen hearing, and a strong sense of smell. For one thing, they are formidable hunters in the field. Popular cartoons have made sort of a joke out of coyotes, but I think they are remarkable animals. It sports a low-hanging bushy tail that is black-tipped (much like that of a wolf) and yellowish eyes. It is creamy on the belly, and rust-colored on its rangy legs. The coyote wears a coat that runs silvery-gray to brown down the back. If you have never encountered a coyote, here are some things to consider. ![]() More than just adaptable in diet, the coyote can also change its breeding habits and social dynamics to survive in a wide variety of habitats. They also happily dine on insects, snakes, fruit droppings from fruit trees, grass, and carrion. They will eat almost anything! They hunt rabbits, rodents, fish, frogs, and even deer. Perhaps one reason for the wide geographic presence of the coyote is its indiscriminate appetite. In fact, a coyote family has even been spotted in Manhattan, among the many red brick buildings known as Stuyvesant Town on the East Side. They are now found in the eastern states. Most of us think of the coyote as inhabiting the prairie, deserts and mountains of the western United States, but they are very adaptable animals. I had read that coyotes had been heard howling-and sometimes even spotted-in the Refuge. Then I realized that I was looking at a coyote!! Yes, a coyote right there in the Refuge.Ĭoyote Pouncing. Wolves average about 90 pounds in weight, and this creature was maybe half that weight. In fact, he did not have a large and heavy head, a wide forehead, or the large feet that give wolves such good mobility on snow and ice. But, this animal in front of us was timid and did not have a long-enough snout to be a wolf. So, if this was not a dog, what was this creature? Could it be a wolf?!! I remembered that today’s pet dogs had all descended from wolves thousands of years ago, and that some dogs resemble wolves even to this day. And, if this were truly a domestic dog, would it not be advancing to us: wagging its tail as if welcoming a long-lost friend? A dog would at least want to come to us and sniff me and the boys. But as I looked more closely, this creature was not chunky enough in body or legs to be a German shepherd. At first, I did wonder if this animal might be a young German shepherd. Over the years, animals in nature have always interested me. My grandson’s next thought was to go and pet the dog. Was it really a dog? Could it really be someone’s pet, which had strayed deep into the Great Swamp? ![]() ![]() We stopped in our tracks, with our eyes fixed on this furry creature. He pointed to the bushes on the left, to a grey mass of fur that had two bright eyes intently studying us. As we walked along a remote trail, my older grandson signaled for us to stop. It was a beautiful summer day, with plenty of sunshine. Some time ago I took my two young grandsons on a hike in the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge.
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