Coyotes eat pears?!?!

[Brians356]

Coyotes do eat their dead, but when that happens the bones are broken/gone. From the way the meat is picked clean from the bones in the photo you can tell that this particular coyote was eaten by birds. Not to mention the giant eagle slice next to the coyote's left front foot. Heck, the magpies were on it before I even got back to the truck.

A 10+ pound golden eagle can easily splay a coyote open. A hungry golden eagle can catch, kill, and eat (part of) an adult coyote. Historically, golden eagles were used by falconers to hunt wolves. Eagle vs. wolf is a fair fight, with the outcome in doubt.

Yeah, I've seen those videos of eagles killing wolves, but I thought they were Steppe Eagles. I imagine an eagle sometimes comes out the loser vs a mature wolf.

It had occurred to me that efficiently paring away connective tissue would allow the bones to slump into that position. Incidentally, I once was watching two Golden Eagles feeding on a deer carcass, when along came a coyote, which lowered its head, mouth agape, and charged like a hissing Canada Goose. The eagles grumbled and fluttered a bit, but reluctantly retreated.

When I'm driving around in the desert, road hunting, I look for a flock (murder?) of magpies flying haltingly along over the sage, hoping they might be following a coyote hidden below.
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[fyrewall]

A badger (hiss) would never retreat from coyotes.

 

[Brians356]

A badger (hiss) would never retreat from coyotes.

Funny you mention badgers, Wikipedia has this:

Coyotes may occasionally form mutualistic hunting relationships with American badgers, assisting each other in digging up rodent prey. The relationship between the two species may occasionally border on apparent "friendship", as some coyotes have been observed laying their heads on their badger companions or licking their faces without protest. The amicable interactions between coyotes and badgers were known to pre-Columbian civilizations, as shown on a Mexican jar dated to 1250 - 1300 CE depicting the relationship between the two.

Now, a wolverine? Not.
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[Nomad47]

Wolverine is a bad word to use anywhere near central Ohio this week.

 

[nakneker]

Here are 2 photos taken 24 hours apart. Apparently our local golden eagles, turkey vultures, ravens, and magpies aren't too particular.

P.S. The head is missing in the second photo because I wanted the skull.

View attachment 1026700

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I've seen ravens eat coyotes but I've seen many a coyote carcass go untouched by anything for weeks at a time. Probably the only animal carcass I've seen that has been passed by many a scavenger.

 

[Brians356]

Wolverine is a bad word to use anywhere near central Ohio this week.

Harbaugh!
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[fyrewall]

The entrails (guts) are usually the first items on the menu, and the Wiley's photo shows this. Muscles have been stripped off bones but the bones have not been crunched up to get at the delicious marrow inside by some beast having powerful jaws with jagged molars.

A hungry badger might not be amicable until his/her meal was consumed.

 

[dolek]

They are not picky. pretty diverse diet really .Fish and bugs are part of their diet also. Cats too,mine now are 100% indoor.

 

[Nomad47]

Harbaugh!
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Do you mean "Hairball". That is what he is called around central Ohio. Go Bucks. Beat TTUN.

 

[seymour fish]

Do you mean "Hairball". That is what he is called around central Ohio. Go Bucks. Beat TTUN.

My dogs would kill coyotes, drag them up in the yard, let um tenderize a week, then eat em. Good ole days

 

[pacificman]

I used to hang with a friend who trapped coyotes... we found one that was trapped that had porcupine quills
in it's stomach! . He would check the contents of the stomach to figure what they were eating in the areas
he set his traps. I learned a lot back then ...but these days I have forgotten more than I know...

 

[langenc]

yep melon farmers lose a lot to them. they will gnaw on several, i suppose to find one of their liking, instead of just eating one. like otters, kill every fish in a hole and just sample them, hardly eat all of a fish...
copied from above...

Sounds like starlings/blackbirds and sweet corn.