Coyotes' coats are generally tawny gray in color, with more yellow on their muzzles, paws, legs and behind their ears. Wolves can be white or black and all shades of gray. Their manes sport long hair, and they can raise their hair as a sign of aggression. Neither species ever has spotted coats. Both have bushy tails that hang to the ground or stick straight out, but never curl.
Coyotes are similar in size and shape to a medium-sized collie. They are usually 20 to 35 pounds and stand 16-to 20 inches at the shoulders. Wolves are considerably larger, weighing between 70 and 115 pounds. At the shoulders they can measure between 26 inches and 34 inches, about twice the height of a coyote. Coyotes' noses are pointed like those of a fox, whereas wolves' muzzles are large and thick. A wolf's ears are somewhat rounded and short compared to the coyote's ear, which is long and pointed. Neither species' ears hang down.
Coyotes tend to be opportunistic feeders. Their diet mostly consists of small mammals such as rabbits and mice. They will eat fruit, vegetation, insects, poultry, birds, fish and carrion. Only when hunting as a pack do they bring down larger animals such as deer, sheep and calves. When feasting on larger animals, they start eating the soft underbelly into the thighs, leaving the hide mostly intact. Wolves frequently dine on larger mammals like deer, elk, caribou and moose. They have been known to attack domesticated animals such as sheep, cattle, goats, horses and dogs. Wolves usually consume all but the stomach contents, especially with their smaller prey.
Coyotes used to run freely more in the western half of North America, Central America and Mexico. In the last 200 years, problems with their natural habitats have forced them to migrate to other areas. They have been seen in areas where they were never seen before, such as Florida, New England and eastern Canada. They prefer living in wilderness areas such as mountains, low deserts and valleys, but acclimated to living in urban settings as people took over their habitats. Wolves stay in rural and wilderness areas. They can be found in the northern United States and throughout Canada.
Coyotes have adapted to living around humans, their only natural predator. They prefer to avoid contact with people and will usually run away when they encounter them. They are, however, opportunistic, and will become bolder when food sources are scarce. Generally they are not a threat to pets and small children, but safety around wild pack animals is always prudent. Pets that are vulnerable, sick or tied up are especially at risk, as are small children left unattended. Coyotes benefit their human neighbors by controlling rodent populations. Wolves avoid human contact and do not live near them. They usually become a threat to human life only when people feed them, which teaches them to be less fearful of humans.