UPDATED: Coyote sightings in Capri Terrace and Clairmont areas

Third pre-dawn sighting in the past week

For the third time in the past week a lone coyote has been spotted around 5:30AM roaming the Capri Terrace and Clairmont areas in the Wilkes East neighborhood on NE Oregon & 166th, and NE Multnomah between 165th & 162nd. Residents should be careful to keep small pets and animals indoors at night and keep a watchful eye on them when they're outside.

UPDATED Feb 24, 2011: A pair of coyotes was seen again roaming NE Multnomah St between 165th &162nd a couple of hours before dawn Thursday morning. Residents in the area are advised to leave the coyotes alone as they typically do not present risks to humans unless cornered or threatened.

Urban coyotes sightings are not unusual in the Portland area, especially between the hours of dusk and dawn when they are most active. Just last fall there were several reported sightings in the Alameda neighborhood of Northeast Portland, and in February 2002 an urban coyote boarded a MAX Red Line train to downtown at PDX to escape the winter weather.

Coyotes (Canis latrans) are members of the dog family and look similar to a small German Shepherd, They weigh between 20 and 30 pounds, have thick dense fur, large upright ears, a narrow nose, slender legs and a bushy tail. Most urban coyotes go about their lives without ever raising awareness of their presence among their human neighbors.

Urban coyote in Portland, 12/2010 Photo by OPB. Click to enlarge

This highly adaptive opportunistic member of the canine family will consume a wide variety of foods including rodents, birds, fruits and vegetables, garbage, outdoor pet food and small free-roaming pets. To discourage their neighborhood presence it's important to limit the access to easily available food sources.

Generally shy and wary of humans, coyotes can also be quite curious and will often observe human activity from a distance.

Coyotes typically do not present risks to humans unless cornered or threatened and are easily scared away by loud noises such as clapping of hands, blowing a whistle, or yelling.

For more information about urban coyotes check-out the links below.

Related Links

• Living with Urban Coyotes Audubon Society of Portland
• Urban Coyotes Audubon Society of Portland
• Coyote spotted in Alameda neighborhood KATU.com
• Video Shows Wild Coyote in Portland in Broad Daylight Oregon Field Guide (OPB)
• Wandering Coyote Booted from Airport Hops a Train Instead