Learn about the coyote lifestyle at Murrysville Community Park

Coyotes are not out there hunting for your tiny dog, Pennsylvania wildlife experts say. But they are opportunistic predators, and smaller canines are similar enough to the rabbits, squirrels and other small game that coyotes regularly hunt.

A Pennsylvania State Game Warden and local wildlife expert will be on hand Saturday, July 6, at Murrysville Community Park to discuss both coyotes as well as the recent results of a birding survey at park.

“We have a very healthy coyote population,” said Denton Schellhammer, who has been working as a state game warden for the past five years. “Coyotes are extremely adaptive animals and they can live anywhere. Even cities like New York and L.A. have issues with coyotes.”

In fall 2017, multiple coyotes were spotted in Tarentum and one attacked a pet dog.

“They’re very opportunistic and very intelligent,” said Schellhammer, who recently started patrolling parts of Westmoreland County in addition to his regular post in Armstrong County.

Coyote populations are most robust in rural areas, however.

“We have a big mix of wooded areas near housing, and populated areas have a lot of easy food sources,” Schellhammer said. “People also like to feed the birds and squirrels, which is fine, but the food they leave behind attracts the mice and rabbits that coyotes like to feed on.”

Local naturalist Susan Miller of Plum also will be part of the presentation, talking about the recent bird survey taken in Murrysville Community Park. It was part of a spring migratory bird count, during which Miller and fellow volunteers Eric Hall and Delia White spotted nearly 60 of the 111 species that have been identified within its borders over the years.

“The Murrysville Recreation Department is going to use the sign boards out in the park wetlands area to list facts about 59 different types of birds you can find in the park,” Miller said. “There will be a self-guided tour that will be available the next two weeks after the event.”

While Western Pennsylvania isn’t exactly the epicenter of the Mid-Atlantic Flyway, plenty of species take the opportunity to rest at places like the park.

“It has some really nice wooded areas up behind the ball fields,” Miller said. “There is some very good habitat and some very tall trees. Migrating warblers, for example, are high up in the canopy a lot of times.”

In the wetlands, visitors can catch a glimpse of wading birds such as the American bittern. And while she didn’t lay eyes on one, Miller is certain she heard the calls of the Virginia rail coming from a stand of cattails. She also will take visitors to see newly hatched purple martins in the martin houses near the wetlands area.

Miller said she is interested to hear what Schellhammer has to say about coyotes.

“A lot of people are curious about them and a lot of people are afraid of them,” she said.

“All About Coyotes” will take place at 10 a.m. in the wetlands pavilion, just west of the entrance to the park on Wiestertown Road.

There is no cost to attend. Register online at MurrysvillePArecreation.com.