Coyotes are adaptable wild canids, widely found across North America in diverse environments, from deserts to urban areas. Their widespread presence often sparks curiosity about their life cycles, especially the birth and early development of their young. Understanding when and where coyote pups are born offers insight into these animals.
When Coyote Pups Arrive
Coyote pups arrive in the spring, following a gestation period that averages 60 to 63 days. Mating occurs between January and March, with births taking place from mid-March to mid-May. April and May are peak months across most of their range. This timing can vary depending on geographic location and local climate conditions. Coyotes produce one litter per year.
Where Coyote Pups are Born
Female coyotes select and prepare dens for birth, used exclusively during pupping season. These dens provide a safe, hidden, and sheltered environment for the newborns. Coyote dens can be found in various locations, including abandoned burrows of other animals like badgers, groundhogs, or foxes.
They also use natural features like hollow logs, rock crevices, or dense brush piles. Some coyotes dig their own burrows, often on sandy hillsides or steep banks, ensuring protective cover and good drainage. In urban areas, dens may be under old foundations or in secluded shrubbery.
Caring for Young Pups
Coyote litters consist of five to seven pups, though numbers range from two to twelve, influenced by food availability and population density. At birth, pups are altricial: blind, deaf, and helpless, weighing about 200 to 500 grams. Their eyes open 10 to 14 days after birth, and their ears become erect within two to three weeks.
The mother remains in the den with her pups for their initial weeks, providing nursing and warmth. The male brings food to the den for the mother and, later, for the pups. At three to four weeks of age, pups transition from milk, with parents introducing regurgitated food.
Pups’ Journey to Independence
Coyote pups begin to venture outside the den at three to four weeks of age, exploring their surroundings under parental supervision. During this period, playful interactions with siblings help develop their social and physical skills. As they grow, their diet shifts to solid food, and they learn hunting techniques from their parents.
Pups accompany their parents on hunting trips, gradually honing their abilities on small prey. The journey to independence is gradual, with young coyotes dispersing from their family in late summer or fall. This dispersal occurs when they are six to eight months old, as they seek to establish their own territories.