Coyotes romped across a Phoenix roof, then scratched at the bedroom window at dawn

One Phoenix homeowner had the same jarring start to his day twice last week when coyotes raced across his roof and scratched at his bedroom window.

What happened?

Robert Howard, who filmed the group of coyotes on his roof, told AZFamily that the repeat visits came last week.

Howard said, "The coyotes showed up Tuesday and Wednesday morning as if we needed a morning wake-up call. They scratched on the window right by our bed at around 6 a.m. both mornings."

He explained that after he started recording, the animals came closer and put their noses to the window. He did note that seeing wildlife in his cul-de-sac is nothing unusual, despite not leaving food out for the animals. 

In Arizona, feeding wildlife is illegal. Easy access to food can quickly make wild animals more comfortable around people.

Experts cited by AZFamily said the behavior fits what is already known about urban coyotes. ASU researcher Julia Hernandez said the group was likely playing and taking advantage of cooler temperatures. 

Meanwhile, Arizona Game and Fish Department urban wildlife specialist Darren Julian said coyotes are now more densely concentrated in the Valley than in some nearby natural areas. That's because neighborhoods provide prey, green grass, and reliable water.

AZFamily has since shared Howard's footage.

Why is this concerning?

Wild animals are increasingly adapting to human-shaped environments. In this case, the coyotes were not deep in the desert but on top of a home in one of the country's largest metro areas.

Human activity drives some of that overlap. Outdoor water sources and pet food can make neighborhoods more attractive to wildlife, even when residents are not intentionally feeding animals. Development that also shrinks and fragments habitat can push species to navigate neighborhoods.

That can mean property damage, lost sleep, and safety concerns for small pets. And while coyotes do not usually seek out people, close contact can become riskier when animals grow too accustomed to human spaces.

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