The coyote is a highly adaptable and widespread member of the dog family across the North American landscape. This wild animal, often seen in environments ranging from remote wilderness to bustling urban centers, is a subject of frequent misunderstanding regarding its classification. While many people wonder what “breed” a coyote is, its proper biological standing is actually that of a distinct species. The coyote’s successful colonization of the continent is a testament to its flexibility.
Coyotes are a Species, Not a Breed
The distinction between a species and a breed is fundamental to understanding the coyote’s identity. A species, such as Canis latrans, represents a naturally occurring, distinct population of organisms that can interbreed to produce fertile offspring, maintaining a clear separation from other species in the wild. This classification is the result of natural selection acting over millennia.
A breed, conversely, is a sub-group created exclusively through artificial selection by humans. Breeds, like the German Shepherd or the Chihuahua, are variations within a single species, the domestic dog (Canis familiaris), developed for specific traits desired by people.
The coyote is formally recognized by science as its own species, Canis latrans. Because the coyote is a wild canid that evolved independently of human intervention, it does not possess breeds. While the species is divided into nearly two dozen recognized subspecies, these are natural geographic populations, not human-created breeds.
Key Physical Traits and Adaptations
Coyotes are medium-sized canids, generally displaying a slender, athletic build with long, thin legs. They typically weigh between 15 and 40 pounds, with males often being slightly heavier than females. Their coat color ranges from grayish-brown to a yellowish-gray, often featuring a lighter underbelly and a characteristic black-tipped, bushy tail.
A distinctive visual trait that helps differentiate a coyote from a domestic dog is its tail carriage; coyotes run and walk with their tail held low, often drooping below the level of the back. Their ears are large and pointed, standing erect and highly mobile to detect faint sounds, which is a key adaptation for hunting. Coyotes can reach running speeds up to 40 miles per hour.
The coyote’s success is rooted in its highly opportunistic and omnivorous diet, which includes rabbits, rodents, birds, and insects, as well as fruits and vegetables. While they can hunt alone for smaller prey, coyotes may hunt in pairs or small family units to take down larger animals like deer.
The Coyote’s Place Among Canids
The coyote belongs to the genus Canis, which also includes the domestic dog and the gray wolf (Canis lupus), indicating a shared evolutionary history. All members of the genus Canis possess 78 chromosomes, a genetic compatibility that allows them to interbreed and produce fertile offspring. This close genetic relationship provides the context for understanding the complex canid populations in North America.
The concept of hybridization is particularly relevant in the eastern part of the continent, where the “Eastern coyote” or “coywolf” is a common occurrence. This animal is the result of historical interbreeding between western coyotes and eastern wolves, and sometimes domestic dogs, following the extirpation of pure wolf populations in the region. Genetic studies show that this eastern population is an extensive hybrid swarm, with many individuals possessing a mix of coyote, wolf, and dog DNA.
The eastern coyote’s genetic makeup is typically dominated by coyote DNA, but it includes measurable percentages of wolf and domestic dog ancestry. This hybridization has introduced adaptive alleles into the coyote gene pool, which is thought to have contributed to the Eastern coyote’s larger body size and increased capacity for hunting larger prey, such as white-tailed deer. The ability of coyotes to successfully hybridize with their closest relatives has allowed them to rapidly adapt and expand their range across the continent.