The coyote is a highly adaptable, medium-sized canid with a wide distribution across North America, successfully colonizing habitats from wilderness to urban environments. Regarding its diet, the coyote is not a herbivore, as it does not subsist solely on plants, but is instead classified as an omnivore.
Understanding Trophic Levels
Organisms are grouped into feeding categories, or trophic levels, based on their primary source of energy. Herbivores sustain themselves exclusively by eating plant matter, such as grasses, leaves, or fruit. Carnivores rely almost entirely on consuming other animals for their nutrition. Omnivores possess the biological capacity to digest and thrive on a diet that includes both plants and animals.
The Omnivorous Feeding Habits of Coyotes
The coyote’s opportunistic and highly diverse diet shifts constantly depending on local availability. Their animal-based intake frequently includes small mammals like voles, mice, and rabbits, which often form the dietary backbone. Coyotes also consume insects, reptiles, and birds, and they readily scavenge carrion, including the remains of larger ungulates like deer. In areas with significant human presence, their diet can incorporate human-associated foods, such as pet food or items from trash.
Plant matter becomes a significant part of the diet, particularly during the summer and autumn months when vegetation is abundant. They consume a variety of fruits, berries, and grasses, with specific examples including apples, plums, and juniper berries. This dietary plasticity allows them to exploit seasonal changes and varying geographical resources.
Anatomical Adaptations for a Flexible Diet
The coyote’s ability to process such a wide array of foods is rooted in specific physical traits that allow for omnivory. Unlike true carnivores, which have teeth primarily designed for shearing meat, the coyote possesses a dentition adapted for both cutting and grinding. Their powerful canine teeth are long and sharp, perfect for seizing and tearing flesh from prey. However, the molars at the back of the jaw are comparatively flatter than those of a pure carnivore, allowing them to crush and masticate plant matter and bone.
This dental flexibility is paired with a jaw structure that permits a greater degree of side-to-side movement than is seen in obligate carnivores like cats. The ability to move the jaw laterally aids in the grinding action necessary to break down tough plant material. Furthermore, the coyote’s digestive tract is intermediate in length between a herbivore and a pure carnivore. This moderately long intestine allows for the more complete absorption of nutrients from both meat and complex carbohydrates found in vegetation, confirming the biological basis for their generalist, omnivorous classification.