Coyote diet in North America: geographic and ecological patterns during range expansion

• Published in: Mammal Review
• Main Authors: Jensen, Alex J., Marneweck, Courtney J., Kilgo, John C., Jachowski, David S.
• Other Authors: South Carolina Department of Natural Resources
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Wiley 2022
• Subjects: Canis lupus
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/mam.12299; https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/mam.12299; https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full-xml/10.1111/mam.12299

Abstract Coyotes Canis latrans have expanded their geographic range by 40% in the last 120 years, raising questions about their ecological impacts in the newly colonised areas. Despite a wealth of local knowledge on coyote diet in North America, we have little information about how and why diet might vary throughout the species' range. We conducted the first rangewide meta‐analysis of coyote diet by investigating how ecoregion, coyote mass, environmental conditions, presence of top predators and alternative food items are related to coyote dietary diversity, as well as consumption of small mammals, lagomorphs, vegetation and ungulates. Using data from 93 studies, we used generalised linear mixed models to determine which variables best explained coyote dietary patterns. Coyotes were generally more carnivorous in temperate forests than in other ecoregions, primarily due to greater ungulate consumption. Dietary diversity was most influenced via a negative effect of mammal consumption; coyote diet was more diverse in the spring and where human footprint was greater. There was minor variation in small mammal consumption, but lagomorph consumption was greater in spring and winter and when coyotes were larger. Vegetation consumption was greatest in summer and autumn. Ungulate consumption was positively related to coyote mass, snow cover and the presence of grey wolves Canis lupus . Both intrinsic and extrinsic factors were related to coyote diet. Larger coyotes ate larger foods, which parallels the relationship between mass and prey size across the carnivore guild. Wolves and humans have opposing effects on coyote diet. Coyotes seem to prioritise eating wild mammals, though more work is needed to quantify scavenging. Collectively, our findings emphasise the need for continued local or regional studies to understand the highly variable ecological effects of coyotes within the diverse ecosystems they currently inhabit and are poised to inhabit.