The coyote (Canis latrans) is one of North America’s most widespread and adaptable canids, thriving in environments from wilderness to major cities. Its success is partly due to its highly variable diet, behavior, and physical appearance, which changes across its vast range. This adaptability has led to a wide spectrum of coat colors, raising questions about whether they can appear in stark black and white. While the typical appearance is a mix of muted earth tones, the coyote’s genetic makeup allows for rare, dramatic variations.
The Typical Range of Coyote Colors
The common coyote coat is a blend of buff, gray, tan, and reddish-brown, providing effective camouflage across diverse landscapes. The base fur often consists of a light gray or cream-colored undercoat covered by longer, coarse guard hairs. These guard hairs are typically tipped with black, creating a mottled, “salt-and-pepper” appearance that defines the classic coyote look.
Geographical location plays a significant role in the overall shade of a coyote’s fur. Coyotes in arid, desert regions often display paler, whitish-gray coats, sometimes described as fulvous, helping them blend into sandy environments. Conversely, those in mountainous or northern areas tend to have a denser coat with a greater concentration of black and gray shades. While the underbelly, chin, and chest often appear a light cream or white, a coyote with a pure white coat is exceptionally rare. True albinism, a complete lack of pigment, is virtually non-existent in the wild, with only two documented cases.
Understanding Melanism and Dark Coloration
The “black” part of the query is explained by a genetic phenomenon called melanism. Melanism is the opposite of albinism, resulting from an overproduction of the dark pigment eumelanin, which gives the animal a completely or predominantly black coat. In coyotes, this dark coloration is caused by a specific genetic mutation, sometimes linked to the CBD103 gene, which is believed to have entered the coyote gene pool through hybridization.
Black coyotes are uncommon, estimated to make up less than 6% of the population, and they are primarily found in the eastern United States. This genetic trait was not native to coyotes before their eastern expansion. Research suggests the melanism gene was acquired in the 20th century through interbreeding with canids, such as red wolves and domestic dogs, which carried the gene. The presence of a black coat in these eastern populations is a physical indicator of this historic genetic mixing.
Coyote Color Versus Wolf and Hybrid Appearance
A dark-colored coyote is often mistakenly identified as a wolf or a coydog (a coyote-dog hybrid). However, the melanistic coyote retains the distinct physical characteristics of its species, even with a black coat. A pure coyote maintains a slender frame, a pointed muzzle, and relatively large, erect ears.
In contrast, a black wolf or a coywolf—the hybrid Eastern coyote with significant wolf ancestry—is noticeably larger and more robust. Coywolves can weigh up to 10 pounds more than their western counterparts and feature a blockier head, shorter ears, and thicker limbs. While color can be misleading, the overall body shape, proportion, and size are more reliable indicators for differentiation in the field.