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1 June 2015 Local-Scale Difference of Coyote Food Habits on Two South Carolina Islands
Cady R. Etheredge, Sloane E. Wiggers, Olivia E. Souther, Lindi L. Lagman, Greg Yarrow, Jamie Dozier
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Abstract

Canis latrans (Coyote) is regarded as a classic generalist predator that has recently established large populations throughout the southeastern US. To better understand how Coyote food habits in the Southeast may differ on an extremely small spatial scale, we collected a total of 305 Coyote scats from 2009 to 2011 on 2 islands separated by a 1.4–2.5-km-wide expanse of low saltwater-marsh on the coast of Georgetown, SC. We identified diagnostic remains of prey items to the lowest possible taxonomic level. A multi-response permutation procedure revealed differences in Coyote diet composition between islands (A = 0.0090, P < 0.0001). Subsequent indicator-species analysis revealed a total of 4 food items that served to differentiate diet between islands: birds. Sus scrofa (Wild Hog), Ilex sp. (holly) fruit, and lagomorphs. Our results demonstrate that Coyote food habits and their potential ecosystem effects may vary widely on a very local scale. This finding may be of particular concern to biologists attempting to utilize published diet studies to inform Coyote management strategies. Our study also documented some of the highest levels of bird consumption by Coyotes published to date; we detected bird remains found in 42.45–59.80% of scats.

Cady R. Etheredge, Sloane E. Wiggers, Olivia E. Souther, Lindi L. Lagman, Greg Yarrow, and Jamie Dozier "Local-Scale Difference of Coyote Food Habits on Two South Carolina Islands," Southeastern Naturalist 14(2), 281-292, (1 June 2015). https://doi.org/10.1656/058.014.0209
Published: 1 June 2015
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