What Do Coyotes Eat? Here’s Your Guide to a Coyote’s Diet

Coyotes are everywhere. There are somewhere from one million to ten million coyotes living in cities nationwide besides those residing suburban and rural communities, and in the wild.

Coyote hunting for food like mice or other rodents in the grass.

In 2020, the California Department of Fish and Game estimated the state coyote population at 250,000. It’s believed that San Diego alone is home to tens of thousands of coyotes. Too bad they outlawed trapping in California so now trappers can’t help control the population.

In fact, a baby was bitten by a coyote on the beach near Huntington Beach, California, on April 28, 2022. The child was taken to the hospital with serious injuries. Last year, a pack of 12 coyotes attacked a woman and her dog in Woodland Hills, California.

Coyotes are members of the dog family and are also known as canids, prairie wolf, brush wolf, and American jackal. Their weight varies widely, ranging between 15 and 50 pounds.

Considered nocturnal, coyotes are actually crepuscular, meaning they are most active at dawn and dusk. But don’t be fooled. They will venture out in broad daylight, if necessary to find food.

A coyote’s most common coloring is brownish-gray. Colors range from white to red to black. Coyotes have wolf-like bushy tails and are the weight and size of an Australian cattle dog.

Coyotes look like wolves, too, but thinner in face and frame and smaller in size and bulk. Some people confuse wolves and coyotes, but coyotes are way more common across the lower 48 and are much less dangerous. .If you would like to learn more about the difference between a coyote and a wolf, I will have an article coming out soon on that.

Their smaller size gives them an edge when sneaking up on small game. For example, coyotes freeze in the pointer position upon finding a rabbit or mouse and then pounce with all four feet simultaneously.

These adaptable creatures no longer always stay in the wild. We now have urban and rural coyotes in an environment previously foreign to wild habitat coyotes with the continuing change of habitat.

As avid survivors, the prairie wolf, as they are sometimes called, continues hunting, foraging, and scavenging for anything they can eat – in any environment. As a result, they’re spreading out through the entire U.S. into Canada and Mexico.

Skinning a Coyote — Coyote hunting for food.

With 19 subspecies[i] and up to 9 pups per litter[ii], appetites add up no matter where they call home.

Coyotes eat about 1.5 pounds of meat a day, averaging 550 pounds per year. So while a coyote can only manage 2-3 days without food before starvation begins, these resourceful canines have little concern when prey is plentiful.

What WON’T a Coyote Eat?

Coyotes don’t eat toads. Some toads can be poisonous, so it’s good to take preventative measures and avoid them altogether. That said, they eat just about everything else. With ferocity.

This guide discusses a few meals coyotes will hunt, kill, or scavenge for their dietary delights.

Are Coyotes Omnivores?

Like many predators, these sly creatures eat both plants and animals. They’re easy to please and will often snack on whatever they find. The most common food they will eat is meat but they won’t miss out on other food such as fruits and vegetables.

According to Jim Byford of the University of Tennessee–Martin, coyotes are notoriously shiftless animals. “Numerous food habit studies reveal that coyotes consume very few game animals. The reason? Coyotes are lazy, plain and simple.” [iii]

Coyotes are mesocarnivores, meaning that 50%-70% of their diet is meat. However, these crafty animals usually opt for a higher protein intake. According to Coachella Valley Preserve, 90% of a coyote’s diet is meat. The rest of their diet comprises insects, fungi, fruits, and vegetables.

What Is In Coyote Scat?

Scientists who study coyotes and what they eat, collect coyote scat and dissect and go through it to see what is inside. As they go through they find bones of different animals and they are able to see a bunch of digested pieces of what the coyote was eating.

Coyote Poop — Coyote scat I found with hair in it.

Even though this sounds like a stinky job they find out what they are eating in the area. Whether it is your pets or the fruit from your trees. I have an article on this site discussing coyote scat and poop and if you want to learn more about it you can see that here.

Coyotes Eat Animals

While coyotes enjoy a meaty treat, they prefer to exert less effort. Typically, when the hunt becomes necessary, healthy canids opt for easy prey and choose prey smaller and faster to catch.

Do coyotes hunt small animals?

Most of a coyote’s food intake is small game. This includes, but is not limited to, rabbits, squirrels, chipmunks, mice, rodents, and other small mammals.

Coyotes Eat Rabbits

Rabbits are a top coyote dinner choice. These herbivores live 6-12 years if they can escape the cunning predatory skills of the coyotes and fox, among other dangers in the wild.

According to Northern Nester, there are 305 breeds of rabbits globally, including jackrabbits and cottontails. Rabbits can have up to 14 kits (baby bunnies) to a litter every 30 days.

With so many rabbits, coyotes can survive on small game. In addition, rabbits are available year-round, leaving a coyote less likely to go hungry in the winter.

Rabbit hunters often leave behind rabbit guts after field dressing them and coyotes will stop by and pick up an easy and tasty meal. If you are interested in eating rabbits we have an article on how to catch rabbits for food.

Coyotes Eat Squirrels

Often thought of as scurrying tree-dwellers, squirrels are small-to-medium-sized, bushy-tailed rodents. Despite their speed, squirrels are easy prey for a coyote.

More than 200 squirrel species exist today. These agile critters often have up to nine kittens (baby squirrels) twice a year, so coyotes have plenty of snacks to chase around.

Since a coyote’s diet consists of mainly small game such as rabbits, squirrels, chipmunks, and mice, it’s good to have extra meals running around.

Coyotes Eat Chipmunks

Check out these lively little coyote treats. Chipmunks have about 25 species and average 7-8 inches in length. Interestingly, all but one species resides in North America.

Not much of a mouthful. Just enough to tide over the belly of a coyote on the prowl. Litters of 4-5 young are born about 6 weeks after mating in the spring and summer.

Coyotes Eat Groundhogs

These animals are also known as woodchucks. They’re a species of marmot or ground squirrels and happen to be the largest squirrel family members.

These easy coyote prey live specifically in North America, only have nine species and up to six babies in a litter during spring. However, they weigh about 13 pounds, which gives a coyote a full belly, or enough food to feed a family for a day.

Groundhogs hibernate, though, so they are a seasonal meal for the canid. Although coyotes aren’t as motivated to hunt a burrowing creature, they will still eat them and use their den to resize for their own use to raise their young.

Coyotes Eat Prairie Dogs

These chatty rodents give coyotes a run for their money. They can reach speeds of up to 35 miles per hour over short distances and have a series of underground tunnels to utilize for escape.

Prairie dogs don’t hibernate. Instead, they are slower in the winter. This ground squirrel species lives in North America with a population of about 250,000,000. They weigh 1-3 pounds, giving coyotes a meal for the day year-round.

Coyotes Eat Potguts

A potgut is one of those critters that you have probably never heard of unless you are from Utah, Wyoming, or Colorado. A potgut is a ground squirrel that is commonly found in the summer.

They hibernate or go dormant during much of the year and emerge very hungry. They eat a lot when they come out of hibernation and eat a lot more than their small bodies appear to hold. Thus the name “Pot Gut.”

Coyotes find these rodents in much of the western United States and will catch and eat them if given the chance. If you want to learn more about potguts you can check that out in our article about potguts.

Coyotes Eat Raccoons

Raccoons, much like coyotes, are typically nocturnal. This feisty, common mammal reaches a top speed of 15 mph and is quick prey for a coyote. If you are trying to entice a coyote to visit a location, raccoons are a good choice of bait.

Raccoons are spreading almost as fast as coyotes in the United States. They are very adaptable and will eat almost anything. These global bandits have 4-5 kits in the spring. Although coons have few predators, coyotes make a meal from them.

Raccoon Trapping — Coyotes will catch and eat raccoons.

If you are having troubles with raccoons in your garden, yard, or house you can learn to trap them in this article on our site about trapping raccoons.

Coyotes Eat Mice

A favorite for coyotes, mice are easy to catch with little effort. They probably offer some fun for the wild dog, giving them the opportunity to pounce on the mouse with all four feet like a quick game of chase without all the work.

Mice have a gestation period of 20 days and are one of the fastest populating animals in the world. So it’s a good thing a healthy coyote primarily goes for the mouse hunt.

Coyote Hunting For Food — Coyote hunting mice in the grass.

In the winter a coyote will hunt though the snow and catch mice and other similar rodents. When a coyote finds a mouse it will usually pounce on the mouse and break through the snow. The mouse gets stunned and trapped as the snow falls on it. Then the coyote looks around under the snow for the mouse and eats it.

Coyotes Eat Birds

Of course, coyotes will eat whatever food source comes their way. Unfortunately, a bird takes a bit more skill and speed for the coyote to nab the winged meal before they catch flight. (Chickens not included in flight.)

Of course, besides tree birds (like sparrows, crows, owls, and eagles) and water birds (like swans, geese, and ducks), coyotes will eat chicken if available.

Turkeys are another very common animal coyotes will eat because they are primary ground birds. Many turkey hunters will set up decoy or fake turkeys to get real turkeys to come in. Every year someone gets a video of a coyote coming in a full speed and trying to eat their decoy.

Coyotes Eat Fish

Fish are a food source if water is nearby. Therefore, coyotes will hunt (or fish) for fish. Fish are an excellent source of protein. Without natural fish predators like bears near a water source, coyotes will try to catch fish for themselves.

Bear with fish in its mouth. — Coyotes may steal fish from other animals like bears.

Should an animal (like a bird or inattentive bear) catch a fish and a coyote is near, the coyote will likely attempt to steal it. Coyotes are quick and will often win a meal in from another predator.

Coyotes Eat Foxes

A coyote will just as soon eat a fox as cooperate with it. While they are known to work with a fox on a hunt, hunger wins. I have seen a coyote and in it’s mouth there was half a fox. So yes a coyote will eat a fox when the opportunity presents.

Red Fox Trapping — Coyotes will eat a fox if given a chance.

So a coyote will eat a fox, but what does the fox eat? We have an article that talks all about what a fox eats. You can compare that to what the coyote is eating.

Foxes are a social creature that live in dens. They can weigh as little as a pound and a half or as much as 24 pounds. A fox is pregnant for about 53 days and births up to seven pups.

Coyotes Eat Amphibians

Adaptive as always, coyotes eat some amphibians frogs, salamanders, and newts. Food is food, right? You may wonder where they get these frogs and salamanders.

When hiking in the mountains near my home I found a little reservoir or pond. That pond was just full of salamanders and maybe some frogs. I was surprised how many there were. A coyote coming for a drink may get hungry and start fishing them out.

Coyotes Eat Venomous Snakes And Other Reptiles

While their preference is to find other prey than a rattler, if a snake threatens a coyote or their brood, they will kill it and eat it. It’s unknown if they are hunted for food or protection.

Coyotes will also eat iguanas, turtles, lizards, and any other reptiles they can kill in places where they are commonly found.

Coyotes Eat Eggs

Not really game, more “pre-game,” but coyotes eat eggs. They don’t have to catch them, and they otherwise require little effort to obtain if not guarded by the parent properly.

Eggs are an easy choice for the lazy and opportunistic as coyotes. And since they’ve just killed the snake… why not enjoy the eggs?

Many trappers and hunters will try to remove coyotes because of the damage they will do to turkey eggs in the spring. One coyote can eat many turkey eggs and turkeys in one spring.

Other eggs a coyote may get are chicken eggs. They would love to find them in the coop or where ever the chickens are laying them. Also the chickens are not safe from a coyote.

If you are having issues with coyotes getting in your chicken coop you can learn to trap and remove them from the area and keep them from getting your chicken’s eggs. We have guide for beginner coyote trappers that may help when trying to trap coyotes.

Coyotes Eat Insects

Coyotes eat grasshoppers. They will eat other insects; however, grasshoppers are more prominently part of a coyote’s diet, making up a small portion of their protein intake.

One of the things that can be found in coyote scat is grasshopper legs or pieced of the hard part of their bodies. Eating this source of food is another reason they are so adaptable and survive in unnatural places.

Household Pets

Coyotes Eat Cats

Cats are a nice, rabbit-sized food source for coyotes. So naturally, they will steal – and eat – your furry friend to satisfy their hunger.

When I have put up trail cameras near town I have gotten cats and coyotes on the same camera. Some cats have learned to avoid coyotes but the coyote will often catch up with them.

A coyote can run up to 45mph. Cats can run up to 30 mph. Keep your cat inside. For you and your cat.

Coyotes Eat Dogs

Coyotes will eat other coyotes. They have no qualms eating a domestic dog.

If you live in an area with coyotes, they will enter your yard, steal your pet off a leash, or grab a loose pet running down the street. Your best deterrent is to keep your dog near you.

Coyotes will eat small to medium sized dogs.

Coyotes are afraid of humans so you are one of the best protection for your dogs.

Coyote vests are another excellent deterrent to protect your pet. It is a vest that gives some protection form the bite of a coyote and my give you enough time to scare the coyote away and save your dog.

See coyote vest prices on amazon ›

Coyotes Eat Pond Fish

Cover your pond if you live in an area with wild animals (as many do) and have an outdoor fishpond. Use chicken wire or anything you can as a barrier because coyotes are not the only opportunistic creatures with a taste for fish.

Moreover, all the other animals that stalk pond fish are prey for the coyote. It’s like sending out an invite.

Coyote Rollers Keep Pets Safe

To keep coyotes out of your yard and pets in your yard you may consider using coyote rollers. These are rolling bars that will roll when a coyote tries to use the top of your fence to get into your yard. This causes it to fall out of your yard.

Dogs or cats using the top of the fence to get out will also be stoped and the rollers will keep them in your yard. They may be a good option for your pets protection.

See coyote roller prices on amazon ›

Large Game

While coyotes will bring down big game, such as deer, it’s almost always in large groups (called a band or pack), and they prefer young, pregnant, or injured prey.

Coyotes Eat Deer

White-tailed deer, mule deer, fawns… it doesn’t really matter. If the coyote – or coyotes – can bring it down, they will. Coyotes are one of the main and natural predators to deer.

A coyote’s favorite food is fresh, white-tailed deer. A single coyote can take down a deer. It can be a slow process of wearing down the deer and slowly trying to kill it.

During fawning season coyotes will eat 20 to 30 fawns in a single spring. Trappers will try to catch coyotes at that time to help get the deer herds to be larger. Removing one coyote may save a lot of deer.

Coyotes Eat Bighorn Sheep

Coyotes prefer sheep in the wild, often – not always – choosing to avoid human areas. However, if the coyote is very young or older than their prime, they will kill domestic sheep.

Desert Big Horn Sheep — Coyotes Eat Big Horn Sheep

This is one of the main reasons they are hunted so heavily by farmers and hunters is the damage they do to livestock herds. Those herds are the farmers livelihood and he does what he can to protect it.

Coyotes Eat Bison

Bison herds are starting to become more prevalent across the United States as farmers and ranchers have bread large herds of these animals and wild herds are becoming more abundant across the western United States.

I have noticed in may cases there are coyotes near many of these herds that will feed on the old young and sick. A coyote is not likely to take on a full grown healthy bison but a very young bison is more in the size range of what they can take down.

Scavenging a bison carcass is more common and coyotes will not pass up the opportunity. Even older kills have good food and nutrients available.

Coyotes Eat Elk

Elk caves can be venerable to coyotes but cow elk are very protective of their young. They will stomp and kick any predator and are very aggressive about doing so to protect their young.

Where I spend time in the woods there are a lot of elk and a lot of coyotes and so coyotes will scavenge the elk herds. Often times during the elk rut the bull or male elk are fighting for the right to mate and my be gored by another bull or just expend a lot of energy.

Bull elk — Coyote will eat elk and may catch tired elk during the elk rut.

This can make them very susceptible to predators and coyotes are no exception. An elk is probably too big for a coyote to take down by themselves but they will find a weak elk and take it down as a pack.

If you want to see a cool video of a grizzly taking down a elk in Yellowstone you should checkout this article and video on the site.

Coyotes Eat Plants

Although plants make up a comparatively small portion of a coyote’s diet, they eat a more significant amount in late summer and fall. During this time, many of the coyote’s prey have bulked up and are preparing for hibernation, so meat is not as available. So they fill up on fruit and salad instead.

Here are some of the plants that coyotes eat.

Coyotes Eat Grass

Coyotes eat grass for nutrition and to solve digestive issues. It’s like taking a Tums for us.

Coyotes Eat Vegetables

Coyotes will raid your garden and eat your vegetables if available in a time of need. You can learn what to do about coyotes in your yard at this article here.

Coyotes Eat Fruit

Coyotes enjoy a wide variety of fruit, including stone fruit, such as peaches, plums, nectarines, and cherries. They often eat seed fruit, like apples and pears.

Coyotes like melons, such as watermelon, honeydew, and cantaloupe. They forage berries like blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, salmonberries, and strawberries.

Coyotes (and your dog) will eat grapes, too. Like raisins, grapes are poison for all canines and can cause kidney failure. Dogs, in general, cannot eat grapes in more than small, sparing amounts before it kills them.

Coyotes Eat Nuts

Coyotes eat nuts like acorns, walnuts, almonds, and peanuts. However, nuts are not a preference for their diet. These can be prevalent in the eastern forests and coyotes will eat them when needed.

Coyotes Eat Maple Sirup

Some maple tree farms where maple trees are tapped for their sap will run pipes from the trees to their collection facility. Because these pipes are made of rubber tubing, the coyotes have found that if they chew on them the sap comes out and they get a sugary treat.

Coyotes Eat Woody Plants, Twigs, and Leaves

When it comes to avoiding starvation, a coyote will eat the twig. Like any other animal, a coyote will eat anything to live, yet given a choice, they prefer meat. However, leaves and woody plants will help a coyote in scarcity until they scavenge an authentic meal.

Coyotes are Scavengers

Coyotes Eat Garbage

While a coyote born in the wild prefers the wild, those acclimated to an urban environment will root through the trash for a meal. Tossed meat, fruit, and vegetables can sustain them regularly.

Coyotes Eat Dog Food and Cat Food

Like many wild animals in urban settings, coyotes will eat any household pet food (wet or dry) left outside. Many trappers use dog food and cat food as bait to catch coyotes.

A coyote in your yard or neighborhood would like to eat your cat and dog food. If you are wondering what you should do about coyote that is leaving sign in your yard such a tracks or scat you can check out our article on what to do about a coyote pooping in your yard.

Coyotes Eat Road Kill and Dead Animals

Dead animals are a prominent source of nutrition for coyotes in the winter. Coyotes are opportunistic survivalists, whether food stolen from another animal’s kill or from a roadside accident.

There are two schools of thought on preference. Some believe that coyotes prefer a new kill’s warm, fresh meat. Others think a coyote will bury or hide their food for a couple of days and let it “ripen.”

What ever the case is one of the best places to find a coyote is on an animal carcass at night.

A Simple Reminder

Coyotes may look like dogs to be petted, but they are not. Don’t feed them. Keep them afraid of you. They are typically non-aggressive and choose to avoid us.

Once we start feeding them, they lose their fear and start taking chances on humans and pets. Like the example at the top of this article, they must be caught and euthanized when they become aggressive and begin attacking.

Inviting trappers and hunters to help you with any coyote problems you are having is a good way to fix the problem. Ask the hunters and trappers about the coyotes. They spend more time learning about and studying them, than most people.