The Coyotes of Bosque del Apache page contains 40 images taken in
mid-winter at Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge in New Mexico.

Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge is next to the Rio Grande beside the foothills of
the Chupadera Mountains, 18 miles south of Socorro, New Mexico. Located at 5000 feet on the
western arm of the Central Flyway, the migration route on the eastern side of the Rocky Mountains,
Bosque del Apache is a wintering site for over 12,000 Sandhill Cranes and over 30,000 Snow Geese,
plus Eagles, Hawks, Falcons, Egrets, Herons, waterfowl, shorebirds, deer, coyotes, and other wildlife.
Bosque del Apache in the winter is one of the most fascinating wildlife locations in the United States.

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Coyotes of Yellowstone National Park            Coyotes of Bosque del Apache

The Banner below leads to the Coyote Gallery where images can be selected.

There are 111 images in the Coyote Gallery

Coyote Trickster 2522 M

A coyote adopts his Trickster pose in the late morning at Bosque del Apache.

The name Coyote derives from the Mexican Spanish coyote, which originated with
the Aztec word coyoti, which means “trickster”. In Native American mythology, the
Coyote appears as the Trickster, Clown or shape-shifter. His role has often been
compared to the Norse god (or jotunn) Loki, also a trickster and shape-shifter.

All of the landscape (horizontal) large version images linked from the thumbnails are 1500 pixels wide.
Portrait (vertical) images are 1200 pixels tall (1290 pixels with title bar). Images designated with an “M”
in the shot number are 5:4 aspect ratio, 1500 x 1290 with a title bar, or 1500 x 1200 without a title bar.

Coyote at Rest 5077

A Coyote at rest after a long day chasing ducks at Bosque del Apache.

Coyotes are primarily carnivorous omnivores, and while they eat fruits and vegetables in the
summer and autumn, they primarily eat voles, mice, rabbits and other small animals. At Bosque
they also go after ducks, geese and an occasional crane. They prefer fresh meat, although they will
eat carrion. Part of the reason why coyotes are so successful at living in so many areas is that
they will eat almost anything, including household pets and human garbage in urban areas.

Coyote 2515 M

A Coyote looks back at his hunting partner in the late morning at Bosque del Apache.
At Bosque, coyotes most often hunt solo although occasionally they can be seen in pairs.

Coyote 2471

Coyote 2474

A coyote crosses the winter grasses near the marsh at Bosque del Apache Wildlife Refuge.

Most of the subjects at Bosque del Apache are at fairly long distances, and many of these images
were taken at 850mm (a very long telephoto lens). Some images were taken at 500mm and 700mm.

Coyote 2476

A coyote approaches the marsh at the southern end of Bosque del Apache, a good duck hunting area.

Coyote 2490 M

Coyote 2491 M

A coyote walks down the road at the end of the south loop at Bosque del Apache.

Coyote Portrait 2494 M

An 850mm telephoto extreme close-portrait of a coyote on the south loop road at Bosque del Apache.

The Banner below leads to the Coyote Gallery where images can be selected.

There are 111 images in the Coyote Gallery

Coyote 2504 M

Coyote 2507 M

A set of 850mm telephoto portraits of a coyote standing on the raised access path overlooking the
flood plain at the extreme southern end of the Marsh Loop at Bosque del Apache Wildlife Refuge.

Coyote 2518

A coyote at late morning looks over the flood plain at the south end of the Marsh Loop.

The coyote evolved alongside the Dire Wolf during the Pleistocene epoch 1.8 million years ago.
It is sometimes called the Prairie Wolf or American Jackal, and fills the same ecological niche as
the similarly sized Eurasian and African jackals, but the coyote’s closest relative is the Gray Wolf.

Coyote 2533

Coyote 2538

Coyotes are typically one third the size of Gray Wolves, about the size of a small German Shepherd.
Southern coyotes are typically smaller than the northern subspecies, which themselves are smaller than
those coyotes which are the result of interbreeding with wolves. Most coyotes which have interbred with
wolves are in the Eastern US and Canada, although some interbreeding takes place in the northwest.

Coyote 2542

An 850mm telephoto portrait of a coyote in the late morning at the south end of the Marsh Loop.

Coyotes will sometimes interbreed with domestic dogs, most often in warmer areas where coyotes
are widespread, such as Texas and Oklahoma. The resulting hybrids are as predatory as the coyotes
but have the dog’s lack of timidity towards humans, and unlike the coyote which usually breeds only
once a year, the hybrid coydog breeds year-round and produces more pups than the wild coyote.

Coyote 2551

Coyote 2555

Coyote 2552

An 850mm telephoto portrait of a coyote at the south end of the Marsh Loop at Bosque del Apache.

Coyote 2553 M

An 850mm telephoto portrait of a coyote at Bosque del Apache Wildlife Refuge in New Mexico.

The coyote is one of the few larger animals which has increased its range since the encroachment
on its territory by humans, despite being extensively hunted. Originally only in western North America,
they can now be found throughout the US and Canada, taking over territories once occupied by wolves.

The Banner below leads to the Coyote Gallery where images can be selected.

There are 111 images in the Coyote Gallery

Coyote 2557

A coyote stands over the flood plain at the south end of the Marsh Loop at Bosque del Apache.

Coyote 2559

Coyote 2563

A coyote walks the access path over the flood plain at the south end of the Marsh Loop at Bosque del Apache.

Coyote 2564

The hunting partner of the previously shown coyote appears on the Marsh Loop Road.

Coyotes at Bosque del Apache most often hunt solo, but occasionally they will hunt in pairs.

Coyote in the Grass 2602

Coyote in the Grass 2608

A coyote spots a group of ducks at the edge of the marsh, and heads over to try to catch one.
The ducks are completely aware of the presence of the coyote, and move away from the edge.

Coyote in the Grass 4226

A coyote crosses the winter grass in the late afternoon at Bosque del Apache Wildlife Refuge.

Coyote in the Grass 4227

A 700mm telephoto portrait of a coyote in the winter grass at Bosque del Apache.

Coyote in the Grass 4229

Note the superb camouflage of the coyote in the winter grass.

Coyote at Rest 4903

Coyote at Rest 4909

A coyote taking a break in the winter grass in the late morning at Bosque del Apache.

Coyote at Rest 4907

The triangular ears of the coyote are large in proportion to their head size, and the eyes are yellow.

The Banner below leads to the Coyote Gallery where images can be selected.

There are 111 images in the Coyote Gallery

Coyote at Rest 5052

A Coyote at rest in the late afternoon on the elevated access path over the flood plain at Bosque del Apache.

Coyote at Rest 5091

Coyote at Rest 5072

These images were taken at 700mm (left) and 850mm (right).

Coyote at Rest 5075

A 700mm telephoto portrait of a Coyote at rest after a long day chasing ducks at Bosque del Apache.

Coyote at Rest 5107

Coyote at Rest 5112

700mm telephoto portraits of a coyote at rest in the late afternoon at Bosque del Apache.

Coyote at Rest 5083

A coyote looks towards the marsh with longing after a long day chasing ducks at Bosque del Apache.

Coyote Yawn 2536

A coyote yawns in the late morning next to his hunting partner at Bosque del Apache.

Coyote Yawn 4239

A coyote yawns as he heads for his den at the end of a long day of hunting at Bosque del Apache.

The Banner below leads to the Coyote Gallery where images can be selected.

There are 111 images in the Coyote Gallery

Click the Display Composite above to visit the Coyotes of Yellowstone page.