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Well, that's a strange topic, isn't it? However, it's a really good idea that you are proficient in animal scat identification and can determine what kind of animal has left you a 'present' in your backyard - for the sake and safety of your family and your pets. With coyotes becoming more of an issue even in urban neighbourhoods, let's make sure you have the knowledge to determine if you have a coyote nearby.
General Characteristics of Coyote Scat
As a rule of thumb, coyote droppings are generally about one inch in diameter and 3-4 inches long - similar to that of a medium sized dog. However, both size and appearance can vary according to diet. Let's explore how we can learn to tell that this is NOT dog poop, but rather coyote scat:
Rope-Like or Tubular Shape
Coyote droppings may appear to be looking like a twisted rope at first glance. The generally tubular shape may be tapered at one end. The overall appearance is likely smooth and shiny.
Firm and Well-Formed Texture
In stark contrast to dog feces (usually soft), coyote scat is firm or may even seem crumbly. Both the colour and consistency very much depend on the coyote's most recent diet and will change according to what type of food is available - Coyote diet varies according to season or habitat.
Visible Animal Hair, Bone Fragments, Seeds
Again, depending on what the animal has consumed, you will see bone, hair, or berries and seeds in the scat. Bone fragments and hair or fur, of course, points to live prey or carrion having been consumed. The more seeds (think summer time) there are, the more crumbly the scat will appear.
Strong, Musky Scent
Coyote scat has a very strong, musky smell due to their scent glands near the base of their tail. These glands release a scent when meeting or otherwise communicating with other coyotes - and, of course, when defecating. Coyotes leave their scat in strategically significant places to let other animals know they have been there. While most territory marking is done with urine (which also has a very strong scent), it is believed that scat is used in a similar way and for similar reasons. Coyote scat smells nothing like dog poop.
Dark and Moist
Again, during scat analysis, colour and consistency very much depend on what has gone through the animal's digestive tract and can differ greatly from day to day. Dark and moist feces would suggest that the coyote's diet at this time consisted mostly of other wildlife, likely small mammals.
How to Identify Coyote Scat Compared to Other Animals
Dog Scat
If you are lucky enough to have man's best friend by your side, you'll likely dread early spring when the snow melts and reveals a host of sins that accumulated during a long winter in your back yard. Arm yourself with gloves and plastic bags - and let's go. What your dog left for you should look to be light to medium brown, well formed, and soft but not runny. There is no uniform size, of course - it depends on the size of your dog. Before scooping your dog's poop, it may be worth your while to pay attention to the consistency; small hard pebble like stool points to your dog having constipation and soft, loose stool may signal some tummy upset. A change in what comes out is usually rooted in what goes in. Have you changed what you feed your dog recently? Could your dog have gotten into something it shouldn't have? Many dogs are quite sensitive to a change in diet, especially when sudden and/or a drastic change. Also consider that processed feed (like pebbles) are not necessarily the healthiest diet, especially if that is the only thing your dog consumes.
Fox Scat
Fox feces can actually quite easily be mistaken for dog poop. It usually measures about 2-3 inches in length, but with a noticeable tapered end. The colour largely depends on the diet; we find that a 'natural' diet in the wild produces much darker stool than a junk food diet found in human trash bins. In contrast to dog dropping and similar to coyote scat, you might see bone fragments and hair in fox scat. Be cautious when handling fox droppings; they often contain parasites and diseases that may transfer to humans and pets. The soil beneath fox droppings can also be contaminated with parasites and eggs.
Wolf Scat
Wolf scat looks somewhat similar to coyote scat as well - although considerably larger and rougher in texture. But again, you may see bone, hair, and other goodies and a rope-like shape. If you see a considerable amount of wolf scat, you likely won't have or see coyotes around. While they are at home in the same habitats, when there's competition for territory, wolves generally win. That means, that if there is a pack of wolves nearby, coyotes will move on to a territory that needs no defending from wolves.
Reporting Coyote Activity and Animal Scat Identification in Your Area: Call Up Hawkeye
If you are finding coyote scat in your backyard - please be extremely cautious. Do not let your children or pets play in the yard unsupervised. Unfortunately, coyote population and contentious encounters with humans and pets have dramatically increased in recent years. Many urban centres now report regular sightings of coyotes and animals no longer shy and fearful of humans. One theory to explain this points to a period during the pandemic when people stayed in their homes and hundreds of acres of woods and nature trails were deserted, becoming a play ground and fair game for coyotes. Humans moving back into these spaces is now perceived as us challenging their territory and food safety and hence, there is some resistance and even aggression.
DO NOT ENGAGE. Report your coyote sighting to your municipality by dialing 3-1-1 or contact Hawkeye Bird & Animal Control. We are equipped to deal with coyotes and wildlife tracking. We've actually set up a page for you to report coyote sightings. Please use the form and don't take matters into your own hands. Coyotes are strong and can inflict life threatening injuries to both humans, and pets.
