You've probably seen it. It’s that one specific, slightly grainy picture of coyote and fox hanging out like they’re old buddies from a Disney movie. Maybe they’re standing in a snowy field, or perhaps it’s the viral shot of a coyote following a badger through a drainage pipe. People love these images because they feel like a glitch in the Matrix of the natural world. In our heads, predators are supposed to be rivals. They should be fighting over a rabbit or chasing each other out of a territory. But nature isn't always a bloody episode of a nature documentary. Sometimes, it’s just... quiet.
Honestly, identifying these animals from a distance is harder than it looks. Most people see a bushy tail and a pointy nose and immediately think "fox," but coyotes are the great chameleons of the American landscape. They change color based on the season. They change size based on how much trash or deer carrion they've been eating.
Why seeing them together is actually a big deal
Biologically speaking, these two species are cousins. They both belong to the family Canidae. However, they are definitely not on the same Christmas card list. In the wild, coyotes are a major "mesopredator" that tends to bully or even kill red foxes to eliminate the competition. It's a process biologists call interspecific competition. When you see a picture of coyote and fox in the same frame, you are usually looking at a very tense standoff or a very rare moment of mutual tolerance.
I talked to a local wildlife photographer once who spent three weeks trying to get a clean shot of a grey fox. He told me that the second a coyote howls in the distance, the foxes vanish. They don't just run; they evaporate into the brush. Coyotes are bigger, faster, and meaner. A typical adult coyote might weigh 30 to 40 pounds, while a red fox is a lightweight at only 10 to 15 pounds. It’s like a middleweight boxer getting into the ring with a toddler.
Breaking down the visual differences
How do you know what you're looking at? If you’re staring at a photo and trying to play detective, look at the legs. Coyotes have long, athletic legs that look like they were built for a marathon. Their elbows are tucked in, and their gait is purposeful. Foxes? They have shorter legs, often with "black stockings" on the lower half. They look more like cats than dogs in the way they move.
Then there is the tail. This is the dead giveaway. A fox has a massive, fluffy "brush" of a tail that usually has a distinct white tip. If the tail is dragging or held low and looks like a bottle brush, it’s a fox. If the tail is shorter, held at a 45-degree angle, and lacks that white tip, you’re looking at a coyote.
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- Check the ears. Coyotes have large, triangular ears that sit high on the head.
- Look at the snout. Foxes have a very thin, delicate muzzle. Coyotes have a thicker, more "dog-like" face.
- Observe the eyes. Foxes have vertical, slit-like pupils—again, very cat-like. Coyotes have round pupils just like a Golden Retriever.
The "Coyote and Badger" viral phenomenon
We can't talk about a picture of coyote and fox without mentioning the famous 2020 video from the Santa Cruz Mountains. While it wasn't a fox, it changed how we view coyote "friendships." The footage showed a coyote literally play-bowing to a badger before they both trotted into a tunnel together.
This isn't just "cute" behavior. It’s a tactical alliance. Badgers are world-class diggers. Coyotes are world-class sprinters. When they hunt ground squirrels together, the badger digs them out of the burrow, and the coyote catches the ones that try to bolt. It’s a 1+1=3 situation. Do coyotes and foxes do this? Not really. They eat the same stuff—mice, voles, berries—so they are usually rivals rather than partners.
Where the "Coyfox" myth comes from
I hear this a lot. Someone sees a weird-looking animal and says, "Oh, that’s a hybrid. It’s a Coyfox."
Nope.
Scientifically, it’s basically impossible. Coyotes (Canis latrans) have 78 chromosomes. Red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) have 34. They are in different genera. It’s like trying to cross a cat with a hyena. It just doesn't work. If you see a picture of coyote and fox traits mixed together, you’re likely just looking at a mangy coyote or a particularly large cross-fox (a color variant of the red fox).
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Sarcoptic mange can do crazy things to an animal's appearance. It makes their skin leathery, causes their hair to fall out, and can make a coyote look thin and "fox-like" or even like a mythical Chupacabra. It's actually pretty sad. If you see a "weird" looking canine in your backyard, it's probably just a sick neighbor that needs some space.
The urban shift: Why they are meeting more often
In places like Chicago, New York, or Los Angeles, the rules of the woods don't apply anymore. Research from the Urban Coyote Research Program has shown that city coyotes are becoming incredibly bold. Because cities provide so much food (rats, pet food, fallen fruit), the intense competition for territory is slightly relaxed.
You might actually snap a picture of coyote and fox in a suburban park because they are forced into the same small "green islands." The fox learns to live in the gaps where the coyote doesn't go—like under your porch or in dense ornamental shrubbery. They are neighbors who hate each other but have to share the same apartment complex.
How to get a great photo without getting bitten
If you are actually trying to take a photo of these guys, stop using your phone. I mean it. Phone cameras use digital zoom that makes everything look like a Minecraft painting once you zoom in past 3x. To get a high-quality picture of coyote and fox, you need a lens with at least 300mm of focal length.
- Golden Hour is king. Both animals are crepuscular, meaning they are most active at dawn and dusk. This is when the light is soft and orange, which makes a red fox's fur absolutely pop.
- Stay in your car. Many animals in suburban areas view cars as non-threatening rocks. The moment you open the door and step out, they’re gone. Use your window as a tripod.
- Don't bait them. Seriously. Giving a coyote a "treat" to get a better photo is a death sentence for the animal. A habituated coyote eventually gets too close to a human, gets labeled "aggressive," and then the city has to euthanize it. No photo is worth that.
Practical Steps for Wildlife Identification
If you’ve captured a photo and you’re still not sure what you’ve got, don't just guess. The internet is full of wrong information.
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First, look at the "elbows." In a coyote, the legs are usually a pale cream or grey color all the way down. In a red fox, the black "socks" are almost always visible, even in poor light. Second, check the profile. A coyote has a very straight "stop" (the area between the forehead and the snout), whereas a fox has a more pronounced, dainty curve.
Finally, upload your picture of coyote and fox to a citizen science app like iNaturalist. Real biologists look at those photos to track populations. Your "blurry backyard dog" photo might actually help a researcher understand how these species are coexisting in your specific zip code.
Nature is messy. It’s not a textbook. While coyotes usually chase foxes away, the world is a big place, and weird things happen every day. Just keep your distance, keep your zoom lens ready, and let them be wild.
To truly master wildlife photography or even just backyard identification, start keeping a log of the times you see them. You'll notice patterns. Foxes usually come out earlier when the coast is clear, and coyotes tend to take over the "night shift" as the sun fully disappears. Understanding these shifts is the best way to ensure you're in the right place at the right time for that perfect shot.