The coyote (Canis latrans) is a highly adaptable North American canid that has successfully expanded its range across diverse environments, thriving from remote wilderness to densely populated urban centers. Many people assume coyotes are strictly nocturnal, but the truth about their daily schedule is more nuanced than a simple night-time designation, reflecting remarkable behavioral flexibility.
Defining Coyote Activity Cycles
Animal activity patterns are classified as diurnal (active during the day), nocturnal (active at night), or crepuscular (active during the twilight hours of dawn and dusk). Coyotes naturally exhibit a crepuscular cycle, showing their highest levels of movement and hunting success around sunrise and sunset. This schedule allows them to exploit low-light conditions for hunting while avoiding the heat of the day.
However, coyotes demonstrate strong behavioral plasticity. They are not strictly limited to twilight activity and will adjust their schedule based on environmental pressures and food availability, often becoming nocturnal to coexist with humans.
Factors Driving Shifts in Coyote Behavior
Anthropogenic Pressure
The primary driver influencing a coyote’s shift from its natural twilight activity is the presence of people, a phenomenon called anthropogenic pressure. In wild areas with minimal human disturbance, coyotes maintain a flexible schedule that often includes significant daytime activity. They move freely and hunt without the threat of frequent human encounters.
Nocturnal Survival Strategy
Conversely, coyotes in urban and suburban environments overwhelmingly become nocturnal to avoid human interaction and associated risks. By hunting and traveling almost exclusively after dark, they minimize conflicts with people, pets, and vehicular traffic. This change in their circadian rhythm is a survival strategy, allowing them to share space with humans by operating on an opposite schedule.
Resource availability also plays a role in their timing. Urban coyotes often forage when human refuse is most accessible or when prey, like rodents, are most active, which frequently occurs at night. They sacrifice their natural crepuscular peak for the safety and opportunistic feeding opportunities offered by the darkness.
Specialized Senses for Low-Light Environments
The ability of coyotes to adopt a nocturnal schedule is supported by specialized biological adaptations that enhance their senses. Like other canids, they possess superior night vision due to the structure of their eyes. The retina contains many light-sensitive rod cells, which function well in dim light but limit color perception.
Behind the retina, the tapetum lucidum is a reflective layer of tissue that acts like a biological mirror. This layer reflects light back through the photoreceptors, effectively doubling the light available to the eye. This mechanism results in the characteristic “eyeshine” seen when light is shined on a coyote at night.
In addition to vision, a coyote’s highly developed hearing allows them to locate prey in the dark with precision. Their large, mobile ears can pinpoint the rustling of a small rodent or the movement of other animals, compensating for visual limitations. These enhanced senses provide the foundation for their successful adaptation to a crepuscular or nocturnal lifestyle.