Hillsdale: Where Coyotes Thrive
- Hillsdale News
- Aug 20
- 3 min read
[August 20, 2025]
By Stephanie Sandmeyer
Since moving to Hillsdale from inner SE Portland four years ago, my family has swapped bars on every corner for barred owls in every tree. Hillsdale’s urban woodlands are a balm after living in a lively and open-late neighborhood for many years.
I’ve felt more connected to the natural world since moving to Hillsdale—I watch numerous species of birds in the morning and bunnies eating clover in the evening. And, of course, I see coyotes with some frequency.
It’s always a bit of a surprise, a moment when I’m walking down the street, or looking out the window, and my brain does a double-take as I see a dog-sized animal (or sometimes two) out of the corner of my eye without a leash and no human following closely behind.
As a Hillsdale resident, you’ve likely had this experience at least a few times as well, and if you’ve read social media posts about coyotes in Portland, you know that they can be a hot topic. Whatever your opinion on having them as neighbors, they are as much a part of the urban environment as the many wild animals that call Portland home, and like neighborhoods across Portland, are thriving in Hillsdale.
But what do you do if the coyote doesn’t quickly move on or disappear into a wooded area? Or, if you observe a coyote near your home, is there anything you should do? I’ve gathered the following information and tips from the Portland Urban Coyote Project. The project’s purpose is to “seek to understand how people and coyotes interact and to help the community learn about our coyote neighbors.”
The Portland Urban Coyote Project emphasizes that it is normal to see coyotes around all areas of the city, and that they “are found across urban, suburban, rural, and wild landscapes. They’ve adapted to living alongside people and play an important role in the ecosystem.”
Coyotes typically avoid human contact and live primarily off rodents, rabbits, berries, nuts, and other natural food sources. They rarely act aggressively, but if they do, it is likely linked to humans feeding them.
Tips for Living with Coyotes:
Remove potential food sources and never feed coyotes.
Protect pets. Keep pets indoors, on short leashes, and supervised.
Scare off bold coyotes. Make loud noises until the coyote leaves the area. Clap, shout, or blow a whistle.
Share this message. Share this information with neighbors and friends to help protect people, pets, and coyotes.
Feeding coyotes is particularly problematic. If humans feed coyotes, coyotes can lose their fear of humans, and this may lead to coyotes approaching people and pets, posing a risk to the safety of all involved. If coyotes are perceived as a threat to the community, it could result in them being killed—they will NOT be relocated. Whatever your personal feelings are about coyotes, tame coyotes pose a danger to all coyotes, humans, and domesticated animals.
Why not relocate coyote populations?
The Portland Urban Coyote Project explains that relocation or removal is not a practical solution for managing urban coyotes for many reasons:
Coyotes are territorial. Removing one coyote creates a vacancy that other coyotes will fill.
Relocation is problematic. Relocated coyotes rarely survive in unfamiliar areas. They are often injured or killed by unfamiliarity with the area or other coyotes. Additionally, relocating a habituated coyote to another location only moves the animal to another community, where it may continue to pose the same risk.
Removal doesn’t solve the root problem. Other coyotes will move into the areas that become vacant. If food attractants remain, the new coyotes will cause the same issues as the previous animals. The best way to manage coyotes is through coexistence strategies like securing food sources, supervising pets, and scaring off bold coyotes.
Reporting Coyote Observations
When you report a coyote sighting to the Portland Urban Coyote Project, the project uses the data to better understand how people and coyotes interact in the Portland metro area, which helps identify areas of the city that might benefit from more outreach, education, or other support. You can report your sighting at portlandcoyote.com/report and review their findings at portlandcoyote.com/research.
Use the Portland Urban Coyote Project report form when coyotes are:
Heard individually or in a group
Observed running, trotting, or walking, or otherwise present but easily scared away
Not showing signs of aggression
Showing signs of aggression: In this rare case, please submit a report and also contact the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. The ODFW contact number west of the Willamette River is: (503) 621-3488.
What's the most exciting wildlife you've spotted in Hillsdale? Let us know. (Mine is the time I saw a crow knock a squirrel out of a tree.)
