![]() But coyotes’ ears are more pointed and longer relative to their head size, giving them, with their narrower and often reddish snout, more of a fox-like appearance. Both gray wolves and eastern coyotes have upright ears that are typically lighter on the inside and tinged with a darker color. There is a clearer difference in the ears. So, don’t count on eye color to tell the difference either, unless you are looking at a pup-or a green or blue-eyed anomaly. Coyote pups often have blue eyes that transition to yellow or other colors. Coyotes, extremely rarely, can have blue eyes. Wolves, very rarely, can have green eyes. Yellow and amber are most common for both. What about eye color? Gray wolves and eastern coyotes can both have the following eye colors: Wolf vs Coyote Eyes Both coyotes and wolves most commonly have yellow or amber eyes. So, given the wide variations, don’t count on color to tell the difference. To complicate the issue, individuals of both species go through different color phases throughout each year.Ī coyote is more likely to have a reddish snout and red on the backs of their ears, and wolves are more likely to have a black or gray necklace of fur, but both can have either. Of the lighter varieties, both often have white strips over their top jaws, which tend to be wider on wolves, often extending into their broader cheek patches. Of the mottled varieties, both species tend to be lighter underneath. Wolves are also more likely to be solid white, too, although such a coloring is rare for both species. And, while both can be solid gray or black, wolves land on the gray scale more frequently. While coyotes are more likely to be in the blonde to brunette range, and wolves more likely to appear gray, individuals from both species exhibit a mix of these colors. Color of the CoatsĬan you tell the difference by color? Gray wolves and eastern coyotes can feature any of the following colors: Females usually weigh between 70 and 80 pounds, while males range from 95 to 115 pounds, with outliers reaching up to 175 pounds. On average, they stand two feet tall at the shoulders and have a body length of 42-52 inches, including their 12- to 15-inch tail.īy comparison, gray wolves, which on average stand 2 1/2 feet tall at the shoulders, can reach 6 feet in length, including the tail. ![]() Adult eastern coyotes typically range from 34 to 50 pounds, though they have been known to reach 75 pounds. Hunters often mistake adult coyotes for larger domestic dogs, while juvenile and small adult wolves can appear to be large coyotes. Both typically have black-tipped tails, but coyotes’ hang downward, nearly reaching the ground. Wolves’ ears are slightly more rounded, their snouts boxier, their heads broader, and the fur around their necks and faces more tufted, as if they are wearing parkas. Coyotes have smaller and narrower muzzles and relatively longer ears, both of which are often reddish in color, giving them a distinctive fox-like profile. But since the two species’ weight and length ranges overlap, especially when including juvenile wolves, size is not always a defining characteristic, as hunters in New York learned last year. ![]() Even compared to eastern coyotes, which are bigger than their western counterparts, gray wolves, on average, weigh twice as much and are typically taller, longer, and bulkier. The biggest difference between a wolf and a coyote is size. So, wolf vs coyote? How do you tell the difference? Table of Contents But the animal you saw seemed too big to be a coyote, and you’ve heard stories of lone wolves seeking new territories. Wolves, on the other hand, which were reintroduced in 1995 to a country that nearly wiped them off the map once upon a time, currently live only in the most remote areas of 13 states and tend to avoid humans. Coyotes now live in rural, suburban, and urban areas in every state except Hawaii. The fact that you saw it may be the strongest clue. Then it’s gone, leaving you with a sense of awe-and a question: Wolf vs coyote, which was it? The animal slinks away without making a sound. You see upright ears, piercing amber eyes, a familiar tapering snout. Suddenly, the head and shoulders of a large, wild canine appear in the timber just out of range. Hours have passed since you first climbed into your tree stand.
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