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Evaluating behavioral syndromes in coyotes (Canis latrans)

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Abstract

As more research focuses on behavioral syndromes and their role in ecological and evolutionary processes, it is imperative that methods to test behavior are valid. The objectives of this study were to (1) assess behavior in captive coyotes (Canis latrans) using three methods [agitation scores, novel object test, and flight-initiation distance (FID)] and (2) to determine whether the three tests were correlated within individuals to describe behavioral syndromes. Female coyotes had higher agitation scores during handling (2.6 ± 0.5) than males (1.5 ± 0.3; t = 1.90, p = 0.06): scores ranged from 0 to 8 on a 0–11 scale. The most common behavior observed was biting at y-stick. Only 27 % of males and 10 % of females approached a novel object within 1 m, with females (37.3 ± 18.6 s) taking less time than males (136.7 ± 50.4 s; p = 0.09). There was no difference in the distance at which males (17.5 ± 4.0 m) and females fled during FID tests (20.7 ± 5.4 m; p = 0.64, n = 30). We found no relationships between FID and agitation scores (r 2 = 0.13, p = 0.12) or time to approach a novel object and agitation scores (r 2 = 0.001, p = 0.89). There was a slightly positive relationship between FID and time to approach a novel object (r 2 = 0.15, p = 0.03), but no relationship among all three tests (r 2 = 0.15, p = 0.45). Our results suggest a behavioral syndrome for boldness and explorations, but these traits are unlikely to be coupled with aggression in coyotes. While these three tests may not be ideally combined to create a behavioral syndrome in individual coyotes, using FID and novel object testing may elucidate a type of behavioral syndrome.

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Acknowledgments

Stacey Brummer and Stan Gehrt assisted with project design. We thank Stacey Brummer and Delphine Napoletano for field assistance. We are especially thankful to the NWRC staff and many volunteers that assisted with coyote captures. Heath Weaver was helpful in reviewing the manuscript. This project was funded by USDA-Wildlife Services-National Wildlife Research Center. Funding had no role in study design, collection, analysis and interpretation of data, writing, or the decision to submit the article for publication.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. USDA-Wildlife Services-National Wildlife Research Center-Predator Research Facility, Department of Wildland Resources, Utah State University, BNR 163, Logan, UT, 84322-5295, USA

    Julie K. Young

  2. Department of Agronomy, Agrocampus Ouest Rennes, 65 Rue de Saint-Brieuc, 35042, Rennes, France

    Marion Mahe

  3. USDA-Wildlife Services-National Wildlife Research Center-Predator Research Facility, 4101 LaPorte Avenue, Fort Collins, CO, 80521, USA

    Stewart Breck

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  1. Julie K. Young
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Correspondence to Julie K. Young.

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Young, J.K., Mahe, M. & Breck, S. Evaluating behavioral syndromes in coyotes (Canis latrans). J Ethol 33, 137–144 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10164-015-0422-z

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