The eastern coyote is one of the most adaptable animals in the world. It will eat anything it can find. Its main diet ranges from other animals to fruits and vegetables. Coyotes are also known to eat trash and even insects. Here are some helpful ways to make your property and neighborhood less attractive to coyotes moving in and causing problems.
- Remove outside pet food. This is one of the most common reasons coyotes are encountered in a residential yard. The more urbanized a coyote becomes the more it learns that pet food dishes will be left out on porches and patios and make for an easy meal.
- Reduce or Eliminate Bird Feeders. Bird feeders attract numerous species of rodents. Squirrels, mice, and rats will feed on the fallen seeds and small rodents make up a large portion of a coyote’s diet. Even the birds can fall prey to a fast-acting coyote.
- Secure and Clean Trash Bins and Recycling Containers. Open or overflowing waste containers have very attractive odors that may bring curious wildlife in for a closer look. Keeping them clean and closed helps prevent this often overlooked food source from drawing the coyotes to your home.
- Control Feral Cat Populations. Cats are prolific breeders and when feral cat populations grow they become easy targets for hungry coyotes. Removal or trap-neuter-return programs can be effective in areas experiencing large populations of feral cats.
- Avoid feeding any wildlife. As animals become more dependent on provided food sources, wildlife including coyotes, will key in on those areas to take advantage of a free meal.
- Fencing and Exclusion. These methods can have some success in deterring a coyote from a specific area. However, a determined coyote can dig under or jump over most styles of fencing if it really wants to get to a food source.
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