WEST SEATTLE COYOTES: Daytime chicken-chasing and other sightings

| Coyotes | West Seattle news | Wildlife

More coyote sightings, first one sent by Amy on Thursday:

Just saw a coyote chasing my chickens. Keep your pets indoors! We live between the Pathfinder trails and the Duwamish Longhouse. Still waiting to see if my scattered flock returns….

Since we weren’t able to publish that immediately, we checked back later, and Amy updated us:

The chickens are mostly okay. They came out of hiding about an hour later. One of them had bite marks and needed stitches, but will recover. The attack happened around 10:00 AM. I’m not letting the chickens or my cat out unsupervised any time soon.

Rose De Dan thinks her cat might have encountered a coyote, perhaps the one captured on her Wild Reiki Spa video from the Belvidere area last Saturday:

I love and respect coyotes but do not want to see one hunting at the Wild Reiki Spa near dawn. The coyote doubles back; he’s hunting something, maybe a rabbit. The two sets of glowing eyes on the mid-left are my two foster cats watching the action from the window. I am worried; former outdoor-only stray cat Tamerlan came home dirty and injured around 10 p.m. last night (no bites, but a possible muscle strain and fall, perhaps from fleeing a coyote). I am glad I can warn the neighbors to keep their cats in at night and not leave their dogs unattended in the backyard. This is a very healthy coyote and pets don’t stand a chance.

And Sally reported this Wednesday sighting:

I’d never seen a coyote in person, so I guess today was my turn.

I saw it come from SW Holly, at the south edge of South Seattle College. It started to run out onto 16th Ave SW, but ran back to the curb to avoid getting hit by cars. It had a small animal in its mouth, but I couldn’t tell what it was – could have been a cat. All I saw was that the prey had dark gray, brown, white stripe-y soft texture. To me, it really looked like the back of a barred owl, though I couldn’t imagine that a coyote would manage to catch an owl? This was around 6:45 am.

As we’ve noted many times before in our 15-plus years of coyote-sighting reports, coyotes have a varied diet – nuts and berries as well as wildlife (squirrels, rats, etc.) and yes, some unattended pets. We publish sightings periodically for awareness, not alarm; even if you don’t live near a greenbelt, they’re likely in your neighborhood. Learn about them here.

Kate July 12, 2024 (12:14 pm)

Was just walking through South Seattle College today and saw the remains of what looks like a cat or other small animal that the coyotes got to. Located in the field between the North parking entrance and Cascade Hall. (Map: https://southseattle.edu/directions-and-maps-main-satellite-campuses/campus-map) Looks to have either black or dark brown fur, but not sure there’s enough left to make identification. By the state of things I’d guess it’s been there a few days.

Leave coyotes alone July 12, 2024 (12:25 pm)

We live in what was once a populated forest of greenery. It’s why we have so many parks that have expansive spaces compared to North Seattle. We have moved in to their spaces and now people are stomping their feet because the coyotes haven’t booked a first class flight to some other unpopulated place.

Coyotes are going for whatever prey of opportunity they can find. If you don’t want your wild animals that you’ve domesticated to get hurt then take precautions. How ludicrous to think coyotes should not be hunting.

Deliberately placing poison traps is also illegal!

Herongrrrl July 12, 2024 (1:30 pm)

Totally agree we need to let the coyotes be, and be responsible for the critters we care for rather than be mad at coyotes for doing what coyotes do. But note that there used to be foxes in WS as recently as 25 years ago, when coyotes were less common. By all appearances, the coyotes ran the foxes out.
Justsayin July 12, 2024 (2:40 pm)

Coyotes are a relatively recent migrant to this part of the country. So we are not so much living in their spaces as you have said. They followed a similar western migration pattern as we did. https://wdfw.wa.gov/species-habitats/species/canis-latrans#:~:text=In%20pioneer%20days%2C%20coyotes%20were,areas%20of%20the%20Pacific%20Northwest.
- datamuse July 12, 2024 (5:01 pm)
  
  Course one of the things that page doesn’t mention is that an important reason for coyotes’ range expansion is the near-extirpation of wolves. Between that, and an urban environment with lots of greenspace and plenty of food (between the rabbits, the rodents, and the garbage cans, it’s a smorgasbord out there), we’ve basically created the ideal coyote environment.
  - Justsayin July 12, 2024 (7:06 pm)
    
    Correct. My response was more to point out the commonplace idea that the coyotes native range is somehow being encroached upon by modern humans living in this region. That our pets and our yards are somehow forced upon them. When the reality is just as you have pointed out.
Rob July 13, 2024 (7:03 am)

Coyotes are not native to this side of the cascades

Sarah July 12, 2024 (12:41 pm)

I saw a coyote this morning on my run! On the Gatewood hill around 6:30.

KBear July 12, 2024 (8:52 pm)

I saw a coyote eating an ice cream at Husky Deli. His hair was perfect
- warren July 12, 2024 (10:03 pm)
  
  I’d like to meet his tailor.

Coyote Warning July 12, 2024 (3:02 pm)

In the few years, coyotes in Seattle and the Eastside have jumped into fenced yards and have made off with small animals in the daytime. Even being watched by their shocked owners. Additionally there have been reports of them coming after small dogs being walked.If you have a small dog get a coyote vest for use both in your yard and on walks.If you have a cat, sadly they are not safe out in the daytime either. And yes, it’s tough keeping these cats indoors only, I know. Fancy catios? Rolling chicken coops/runs for the chickens so they can be moved around (stake down well).

Excuses July 12, 2024 (4:47 pm)

Tough keeping cats indoors? No stop with the excuses. I feel bad for them cats that are allowed to roam outside and get eaten by wildlife. You don’t want them getting eaten then take precautions. “It’s tough keeping kids from dangerous environments.” “It’s tough telling a kid not to touch an open flame.”This is what people sound like when they say that cats should be allowed outside. Not only do they have the ability to cause damage to other wildlife and property but they can be eaten or run over and so called owners think it’s everyone else’s fault.
- Coyote Warning July 12, 2024 (6:30 pm)
  
  Yes it can be tough if:1. A rescue (eap. a feral) that had outdoor privilege prior.2. One’s indoor/outdoor cat that is no longer allowed out.Until the above have gotten used to indoor only they will try every trick in the book including pushing out your window screens.Saying it’s tough is not incorrect in many situations but it is not condoning it so calm down.