Foxes, coyotes and hawks, oh my! Here's a look at the top misconceptions about wildlife

Ana Rodriguez | By Ana Rodriguez | The Birmingham News
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on May 16, 2014 at 8:00 AM, updated May 16, 2014 at 8:43 AM
TRAVEL YELLOWSTONE 5 KRTA coyote looks on at Yellowstone National Park in August, 2005. (Steve Deslich/KRT)

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- We've got it all wrong, experts say.

When news first broke that a Vestavia Hills family was grieving the loss of their pet Bichon Frise after it had been attacked and killed in the backyard of their Shades Crest Road home by either a coyote or fox, readers flooded the site with a frenzy of opinions and questions.

What's the best way to keep my pet safe? Why are these wild creatures invading our property? What can we do about it? Readers wondered.

Due to the large amount of interest from our readers, we reached out to wildlife experts for their advice.

"This time of the year coyote-dog incidents spike because of one thing -- puppies," said Frank Vincenti, who runs Wild Dog Foundation, a wild canine conservation and education group in the New York tri-state area. "Coyotes are great parents and will protect their young from rival canines."

Vincenti said that encounters with coyotes in particular, are preventable.

"People forget that coyotes are basically dogs, and can be trained to avoid conflicts," he said. "But it needs consistency and the community has to be on board, lethal removal does not  allow for learning."

Coyote.jpgView full size(Homewood Police Foundation) 

David G. Dionne, who will be the featured speaker at the "Learning to Live with Wild Neighbors" lecture on May 20 hosted by Homewood Animal Control, reminds readers that people and animals each have their own unique perspective on things.

"We need to be rational and use common sense as we deal with animals," said Dionne in an email to "They can only use instinct and behavioral patterns that are learned from birth."

We asked Dionne to provide us with a list of the "top misconceptions" regarding wildlife. Here's what he had to say:

Misconception #1
These animals have no business in "my yard."
People often wonder why animals are coming into "their" yards. It's because the animal sees the yard as part of "their" territory. Animals have no concept or understanding of human zoning codes.  (As a matter of fact, neither do most of us!!) Why? Birds and all types of mammals establish territories for mating, denning and for access to food. Depending on the animal that territory may include your yard and your neighbor's yard, or the territory may be larger than your neighborhood. Hummingbirds will fight other hummingbirds to the death if one invades another's territory. That same hummingbird will ignore every songbird in the yard because the song bird is no threat to the hummingbird's food or mating possibilities. We need to understand them if we want to attract or discourage our wild neighbors. Their need for territory is something we need to understand.

Misconception #2
I need a good fence to keep the wild beasts away.
Fences are trivial inconveniences to most wild animals. A fence does more to pin in potential prey, like your small dog, than it does to keep predators out. A small dog patrolling a fenced back yard is very attractive to a Red Shouldered Hawk hunting three houses away. The hawk only has to bide his time and wait for the dog to wander into an open area to swoop in and fly off with his meal. Coyotes and bobcats only need to jump the fence for an easy meal. Your dog will quickly fall prey as he is now pinned in a confined space with a hungry animal that only needs to chase him down and pin him in a corner to earn a meal.
Dogs that are leashed or tied up in yards or campsites are even more vulnerable. A human who leaves an animal chained to a post thinks he has a guardian watching the back yard or his campsite. To a passing bear or predatory cat the view is much different. They see a snack on a chain. Their perception is much different than ours.
Misconception #3
The answer involves traps, poison and/or firearms.
Traps, snares, poisons and firearms are all more of a threat to children, pets and neighbors than they are to wildlife. We need to understand these animals are here to stay.  Leg hold traps and snares are a real threat to children and pets in your neighborhood, as are poisoned baits. Firearms are even more dangerous around homes. A pet owner firing in defense of his cat may hit the predator but then find himself explaining why his round passed through the coyote and into his neighbors kitchen. We can all see how that scenario can easily become much, much worse.

Dionne will speak on these tips and more at the Homewood Public Library, Tuesday, May 20 at 6:30 p.m.

According to the event flyer, Dionne will also speak about fox, squirrels, rabbits, feral mammals, reptiles and birds. He will discuss why such animals are present in our neighborhoods, how to identify who's dropping by, how to ward off unwanted visitors and how to attract visitors you do want.

For more information, check out the Homewood Police Department's Facebook page or