Coyotes, highly adaptable canids native to North America, have successfully expanded their range into diverse habitats, including suburban and urban areas. Their intelligence and flexibility are reflected in their wide-ranging dietary choices. The answer to whether they eat apples is a definitive yes, a fact that highlights the complexity and opportunistic nature of their feeding habits. Understanding this diet reveals why they thrive so well near human settlements and what attracts them to residential yards.
Coyotes as Opportunistic Omnivores
Coyotes are classified as opportunistic omnivores, meaning their diet includes both plant and animal matter and changes based on what is most available. They do not rely solely on meat for survival, allowing them to adjust their foraging strategies across seasons and environments. This dietary flexibility is the primary reason for their success in colonizing nearly all of North America.
Their preferred diet typically centers on small prey such as rodents, rabbits, and insects, which provide high-energy protein necessary for their nomadic lifestyle. They readily scavenge carrion and will consume reptiles, birds, and even grass to supplement their meals. This omnivorous nature explains why fruits and vegetables are readily incorporated into their regular food consumption.
The Role of Apples and Fruit in the Coyote Diet
Fruit, including apples, plums, grapes, and various berries, becomes a significant part of the coyote diet, particularly in late summer and autumn when these sources are at their peak abundance. These plant materials serve as a good source of carbohydrates and hydration when primary prey, like small mammals, may be harder to find. This seasonal shift helps them maintain energy levels.
Coyotes rarely pick fruit directly from a tree, preferring to consume fruit that has already fallen to the ground in orchards or residential yards. Fallen fruit is easily accessible and often begins to ferment, which may make the items more palatable. In urban environments, cultivated fruits like figs and crab apples can make up a substantial portion of a coyote’s diet, sometimes accounting for up to 40% of their total food intake.
Managing Coyote Interactions Near Fruit Sources
The presence of fallen fruit in suburban and urban settings acts as a significant attractant, drawing coyotes closer to human residences. To minimize these interactions, the immediate and consistent removal of all fallen fruit is the most effective management action homeowners can take. This eliminates an easy, high-calorie food source.
Homeowners should also secure other food sources that attract coyotes and their prey into the yard. This includes ensuring all trash bins have tight-locking lids and that compost piles are fully enclosed, as coyotes are drawn to the odors of decomposing food. Pet food and water bowls should never be left outside, as these items are readily consumed by coyotes and other wildlife. Trimming low-hanging shrubbery and brush near the ground can also help, as this removes the cover and shelter coyotes and the rodents they prey on utilize.