Love is in the Air - for Coyotes!

Wednesday, January 14, 2026

Coyote sightings have started picking up as these native canids start looking for mates and establishing their territories.

In Illinois, breeding season occurs from January to March, usually peaking in February, so it's perfectly normal to see them out and about this time of year.

• They are more active and vocal as they search for, and establish, mates and territories.
• An average of 6-7 pups are born in April, with parental protection continuing into early summer. 
• Dens are often abandoned burrows from other animals like foxes or groundhogs.
• The young coyotes disperse in the late summer and early fall, another time when coyote sightings may be more frequent.
• Rather than seeing these activities as a cause for concern, it's a great time to view these beautiful, and important, creatures.
• As top predators, they help control rodents and other small mammal populations!
• But it's best to give them plenty of space and keep your pets leashed.

For more information about Coexisting with Coyotes, click here.