Fast Facts for Kids
Coyote Facts for Kids

Coyote Facts

  • Common Name: Coyote
  • Binomial Name: Canis latrans
  • Family: Canidae
  • Genus: Canis
  • Diet: Carnivore (Meat)
  • Habitat Range: North America
  • First Appeared: ~1 million years ago

22 Coyote Facts For Kids

  1. The coyote is a medium-sized canine that is a member of the Canis genus in the Canidae family.
  2. The coyote’s binomial name is Canis latrans.
  3. Scientists recognize 19 different subspecies of coyotes.
  4. Coyotes are closely related to wolves, dogs, and golden jackals.
  5. American Scientist Thomas Say was the first person to scientifically describe the coyote in 1819.
  6. The modern coyote is believed to have first appeared around one million years ago.
  7. The coyote’s habitat range extends throughout most of North America.
  8. There is estimated to be more than a million coyotes living in North America.
  9. Coyotes are carnivores and their diet consists mostly of meat.
  10. Common prey for a coyote includes but isn’t limited to birds, deer, elk, rabbits, and rodents.
  11. The average adult male coyote weighs between 18 and 44 pounds.
  12. The average adult female coyote weighs between 15 and 40 pounds.
  13. The average tail length of an adult male or female coyote is 16 inches.
  14. The largest coyote ever recorded weighed 75 pounds, it was caught on November 1937 in Afton, Wyoming.
  15. The average adult coyote can travel between three and ten miles per day.
  16. Coyotes are known for their wide range of vocalization, especially their howling.
  17. The coyote is arguably the most vocal mammal in North America.
  18. Coyotes aren’t dangerous to humans and throughout history there have been only two confirmed fatal coyote attacks.
  19. Coyotes can be a nuisance to farm owners because they are the most common predator to attack livestock.
  20. Coyotes are the most popular predatory animals hunted in North America.
  21. One of the most memorable cartoon characters was Wile E. Coyote in the Looney Tunes series.
  22. Coyotes use to be referred to as American jackals, brush wolves or prairie wolves.

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Coyote Pictures

If a picture is worth a thousand words, then the below images will be helpful for your research on coyotes. Below are three pictures of coyotes. These pictures should help you better understand what coyote look like.

A Coyote Closeup

A picture of a coyote closeup and personal.

A Howling Coyote

A picture of a coyote howling in the winter.

Mother Coyote and Pups

A picture of a mother coyote and her pups.

Coyote Resources

We hope you found the above coyote facts, information, data, and pictures both fun and educational. You can continue to research coyotes using one of the below additional resources. They were chosen for their credibility and accuracy; you can trust their information when it comes to coyotes. Thank you for choosing Fast Facts for Kids.