A coyote is a canine native to North and Central America. Coyotes are often compared to wolves, another well known wild canine, although they are much smaller than wolves, with distinctly different behavior patterns and lifestyles. Coyotes are also extremely well adapted to living alongside humans, and they can be seen in urban areas in addition to more rural and wild areas. Several zoological parks also maintain coyotes, for members of the public who are interested in seeing these creatures and learning more about them.

The coyote is formally known as Canis latrans, with the English word coming from the Spanish; Spanish conquistadors borrowed the word from the Nahuatl coyotl. Coyotes play an important role in the mythology of many Native American nations, where the coyote is often depicted as a trickster god. Coyote legends often include complex and clever shenanigans and tricks in which an anthropomorphized Coyote pulls the wool over everyone's eyes.

Coyotes look a lot like dogs, with brownish-gray to yellow-gray fur and a classic canine profile. They are also extremely bold, and very clever. Coyotes are famous for being heard and not seen, with a wide array of vocalizations including yips and howls which are often included in Westerns for ambiance. However, these canids are also extremely bold, and they are typically unafraid of people when they encounter them.

Coyotes are carnivores, seeking out small animals to hunt on their own and sometimes bringing down larger animals as a pack. This can be a problem for livestock like sheep and goats, as coyotes will freely predate on this animals. Coyotes will also eat carrion and garbage, with coyotes in urban areas relying heavily on dumpsters and trash cans for nutrition, often much to the frustration of humans.

Unlike wolves, coyotes do not typically form large packs. Many live and hunt alone or in pairs, and when a pack forms, it is typically small and easily redistributed. The animals mate in the early spring, producing litters of around six pups after a two month gestation, and the pups are usually independent within six months or so, although some may stick around to supplement the pack. Coyotes have also been known to interbreed with dogs; the result of such matings is known as a coydog.