For our October General Meeting, we had guest speaker Kelly Norrid Urban, a Wildlife Biologist at Texas Parks and Wildlife. He spoke to us on the topic of Urban Coyotes with the goal of “clearing up myths and talk about facts” about coyotes. Coyotes are incredibly intelligent mammals, that have 11 different vocalizations of which the most famous is the “yip”. There are 20 species of coyote in North America that can be found in different regions, particularly in the Mid-West of the United States. Interestingly coyotes have been spotted in highly urbanized Metropolitan cities such as Los Angeles, Chicago, and Houston. In Houston there have been multiple sightings along the Buffalo Bayou corridor and other green ways. 

Speaking on the diets of the coyote, Norrid commented that they primarily feed on small mammals such as rabbits and rats. Interestingly, he stated that local Houston studies to date have not shown significant cat predation. However studies in southern California do document cat predation, so Houston cat owners should be aware of the potential risk. Norrid conducted a study on coyote diets in Houston, 37 scat samples were examined and he found that coyote diets consist of 51.7% mammals, 36.7% vegetation, 1.7% arthropod, and 10% anthropogenic. The anthropogenic items in the samples consisted of textiles (a fabric), wood chips, a paper napkin, and a seed mixes similar to that of songbird mix. 

Kelly Norrid discussed coyote breeding habits as well. Breeding pairs typically mark a 300-acre territory that they defend. Breeding takes about 1.5 years and one litter is bred per year. Population control of coyotes is a very interesting topic that Norrid discussed. He stated that killing coyotes doesn't work as an adequate population control, rather it may cause the coyote populations to spike. The best management practice for coyotes according to Kelly Norrid is to “let the alpha male and female set up shop in an area and keep them afraid of you. When you kill them, you increase the chances of running into them.”

Coyotes are relatively tame creatures. Norrid recounted a story of a Ring doorbell video he saw where a little girl was being stalked by a coyote trotting behind her. As the girl began to run the coyote instinctively pursued, but when the girl screamed in fear, the coyote ran away immediately. In recent history, in the state of Texas there has been only two incidences with coyotes harming people. One incidence happened in Ft. Worth and the other in Frisco. Norrid concluded his presentation by outlining the steps to ward off a coyote which are 1) make noise, 2) throw rocks and sticks at it, 3) do not run. 

Photograph courtesy of Cheryl Conley of TWRC Wildlife Center.