Fauna Series No. 4

Fauna of the National Parks — No. 4 Ecology of the Coyote in the Yellowstone

CHAPTER III:
HABITS BEHAVIOR AT CARRION

COYOTE-MAGPIE RELATIONSHIPS

ALONG with the raven, the magpie is closely associated with the coyote during the winter months. In the same manner, the magpies were observed to warn coyotes of danger.

At times it seems that there must exist a compact between magpies and coyotes, for often these birds at a carcass hop about only a few feet from the coyotes. Magpies are very alert and cannot be readily captured by coyotes, who no doubt learn that their efforts along that line are rather futile and after a time stop trying. I have seen a coyote chase magpies away from a carcass, apparently with no effort to harm them. However, occasionally a magpie is eaten, for feathers were once found at a dead buffalo and magpie remains have been found in at least one stomach of a coyote that appeared to have been feeding on carrion.

Figure 5— A magpie (indicated by arrow) is feeding only a couple of feet from the head of a coyote.
Blacktail Deer Creek, November 14, 1938.

Figure 6— Magpies and a coyote feeding on an elk carcass. The flying magpie (indicated by arrow) is returning from a trip to the woods to cache a morsel.
Blacktail Deer Creek, November 14, 1938.

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Last Modified: Thurs, Dec 20 2001 10:00:00 pm PDT
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