Fraser, GailThompson, Brenna2015-09-152015-09-152014Major Paper, Master of Environmental Studies, Faculty of Environmental Studies, York Universityhttp://hdl.handle.net/10315/30242The coyote (Canis latrans) is a highly adaptable animal that has been pushing its territorial boundaries into urban landscapes. Most studies have focused on rural habitats, while urban coyote work examines their diet and human-coyote conflicts. This study investigated the movement and diet of the urban coyote to determine if a relationship exists between the coyote and its prey in Tommy Thompson Park. As an Important Bird Area, Tommy Thompson is known for its large migratory bird populations that utilize the park during the nesting season. This seasonal, abundant resource has the potential to affect the coyote's movements. In order to examine this relationship an adult male coyote was collared and movements tracked for six months, camera traps were deployed where nesting waterbirds are present in the spring and absent in the fall to determine percent occupancy differences, and scat samples were analyzed. Results indicate that coyotes were more likely to stay within park boundaries when migratory birds were present, however their diet did not indicate an increase in avian consumption during this time. Scat analysis did suggest a seasonal change in terrestrial prey items, which was attributed to abundance and availability. Understanding the relationship between the predator and prey is important in urban settings as it influences the unique ecosystem dynamics.enAuthor owns copyright, except where explicitly noted. Please contact the author directly with licensing requests.Major Paper