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Have you ever heard coyotes at night and thought the sounds they were making meant that they were taking down another animal? That's not what they're doing at all... Coyotes are social, communicative predators. Coyotes are known as song dogs. They're famous for their wide array of yips, barks and howls. Some might think that these sounds are their "kill song" and mean the coyote is in the process of killing another animal but that isn't the case. Coyotes do not have kill songs. Studies have shown that coyotes have eleven vocalizations, several of which are also given by pups. Coyotes use these vocalizations to communicate with each other. Howling is a basic communication behavior in coyotes, it has several functions. One is to call the pack— a family group—back together again after a period of individual hunting. A second reason that coyotes howl is to advertise their presence to other packs, essentially warning those other family groups against trespassing across territorial boundaries. And, as more coyotes join in, the more intense it becomes. Coyotes do not "sing" when they're hunting... they're silent. So when you hear the coyotes song at night, it's nothing to fear. Please consider that we share this world with lots of wildlife. Being terrified doesn’t help the situation as much as being knowledgeable does. Don’t be afraid. Be educated.