Coyotes, the wild dogs of the desert, fascinate me. Here we have a not-so-large canine that has expanded its range incredibly.
It went from a northwestern United States predator to inhabiting the land south to Costa Rica and all across our country, including New England.
The coyote is almost the prime opportunist, though he may share the honor with the clever raccoon. Wherever humans have wiped out the wolf, the coyote moved into the territory.
Wherever humans have tried to destroy coyotes, they have responded by creating more of their kind. I suspect each new generation becomes a little smarter, too.
In Arizona, I see quite a few dogs, and handsome they are, that look very much like coyotes. The coyote breeds easily with the domestic dog; these canines are called coydogs.
It seems I have seen a proliferation of coyotes in the past two years or so. They intrigue me because of their lack of interest in my doings. I am up very early, as are coyotes.
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They are crepuscular critters — active in the evening and at dawn.
The other morning, it was still quite dark when I went out to fetch the paper. There were four large adult coyotes rummaging around in the front of my house.
I don't feed them (a big no-no), so I suppose they were foraging for rodents. I wondered whether I should wait for the paper, but the minute these dogs heard me, they sang a little ditty and went on their way.
About that song — there appears to be way too much controversy in the literature. Coyotes do "sing." I call it a yodel, one that my Bailey Mutt has learned well. Some references call them "barking dogs." How silly; all dogs, with the exception of the Basenji, bark.
The word coyote is Mexican/Spanish, but was borrowed from the Aztec word coyotl, thought to mean "singing dog."
The Navajo people call this animal "God's dog." I prefer the former term, as Bailey Mutt, who sings to coyotes, is no god's dog. Guaranteed.
The coyote itself is a quite handsome animal, with its pricked ears, elongated snout, multihued coat and bushy tail held low.
Intelligence shines in the eyes. They are thought of as inventive, mischievous and evasive. When I read that, I was most amused. When perplexed about why they can't wipe some creature out, people give it amazing powers.
Humans have their reasons for hating portions of Nature. They are usually wrong.
One of the reasons we've tried to destroy the coyote is, we think they bring down large farm animals, such as sheep. Nothing could be farther from the truth.
First, coyotes are known to be singular hunters; they will rarely hunt in pairs. Their favorite prey are rodents, rabbits, insects and some birds. I'm certain they wouldn't turn down a morsel of carrion, when it's available.
Sheep ranchers see a coyote nibbling on some rancid long-dead sheep and jump to the illogical conclusion: A pack of those darned dogs has killed my valuable sheep. Now, a pack of darned dogs may have done just that, but they weren't coyotes. The coyote gets the blame.
In the war against the coyote, the score is very uneven. Kill a couple of coyotes and hang their pathetic bodies on your fence as some sort of macho talisman. The coyotes just up the tally next breeding season.
That season is in February, with the pups being born in April and May; breeding pairs mate for life. Both parents feed the young, but mom doesn't allow dad in the den.
The pups start to forage on their own at about 12 weeks but stay in the family group until the following fall. A coyote is mature at a year.
I have read many references on coyote longevity; I will take the longest — 8 to 10 years. High country coyotes can be fairly large, about 50 pounds. In low country, they can be as small as 20 pounds.
The best-known coyote around is probably Wile E. Coyote, of Warner Brothers cartoons. He loses every battle with his arch enemy, the swift roadrunner. I hadn't been aware that, aside from background noise, the only words allowed were the roadrunner's "Beep-beep!"
May you all have a tasty bird or vittles of your choice this coming holiday, the day we give thanks for our blessings. Don't forget the beautiful dog, without whose song our dawn would be barren.
Desert corner
By Lee Reynolds
