Coyotes are opportunistic eaters with a diverse diet that includes small rodents such as mice and voles, rabbits, birds, carrion, deer, insects, lizards, fish, fruit, seeds and grass. This varied diet depends on the time of year and ecosystem that they are inhabiting.
Over the last couple of weeks out at the arboretum I have found coyote scat that consists mainly of what appears to be apples. When I broke some apart, it was full of what looks like apple skins, chunks of undigested apple pieces, and seeds. First and foremost, I can’t help being drawn over to the bright orange glow the coyotes are contributing to the fall colors. Why is it so beautifully orange?
Its scat is prominently displayed in places like in the middle of trails, trail junctions, on roadsides, or on rocks. These locations are chosen to communicate information to other coyotes, such as marking its territory. The last photo below shows a pile of scat at the edge of the gravel road where a path comes down from the meadow. I found multiple piles of feces in this area.
Curiously, it seems like the apples were only partially digested. That might be due to the coyote’s canine teeth chomping the apple into fairly big chunks as it ate and swallowed it. Perhaps, those bigger pieces just don’t get broken down as well as it passes through the coyotes digestive tract.
Nature is an inexhaustible source of wonder. I look forward to seeing you out there.
