Coyotes
Coyote was here first. Cousin of the family dog, the wily coyote is native to the West and plays the part of the trickster in many native legends. Even the word “coyote” has roots that reach back to pre-Columbian times—just ask the Aztec god of mischief and music, Huehuecoyotl. Fully grown, a coyote can weigh more than 40 pounds, well-fed on rabbits and other small animals, but also small pets, pet food and garbage. Thanks to humans, coyotes have expanded across the whole continent, ever adapting and coexisting with us, whether we like it or not. To hear a coyote – or a pack of them – is uncanny. You are more likely to hear them on moonlit night, because they see more and have more to communicate about. It’s a sound that can remind you how close we still are to wild things, and a song that writer J. Frank Dobie said was “more pleasing than the music from a neighbor’s radio.”
About Colorado Postcards
Colorado Postcards are snapshots of our colorful state in sound. They give brief insights into our people and places, our flora and fauna, and our past and present, from every corner of Colorado. See more postcards.
