A pair of coywolves were spotted moving together Thursday afternoon in the Burtonsville area, according to Tim Pruss of MyDronePro, who encountered the animals while searching for a lost dog (video below).
Pruss said the two animals were seen in the woods just west of Old Columbia Pike, above the town. The sighting adds to a growing number of reports of coyotes and coywolf hybrids being observed across suburban parts of central Maryland.
Coyotes, originally native to the western United States, have steadily expanded eastward over the past three decades and have adapted well to suburban and semi urban environments. In the Chesapeake Bay region, genetic testing has shown that many animals commonly referred to as coyotes are actually mixed breed hybrids known as coywolves.
A 2015 WYPR report noted that these animals are larger than typical western coyotes and are the result of interbreeding between coyotes, wolves, and domestic dogs. Coywolves have become increasingly common in counties such as Montgomery, Howard, and Anne Arundel.
A 2016 meta analysis by wildlife researchers found that the average northeastern coywolf is composed of roughly 60 percent western coyote, 30 percent eastern or gray wolf, and 10 percent domestic dog. The wolf ancestry contributes to their larger size and stronger jaws, while the dog genetics are believed to play a role in their relative comfort around human development.
Coywolves primarily feed on small rodents and white tailed deer and generally avoid people, though sightings tend to increase as development pushes further into wooded areas.
Burtonsville, MD – Pair of coywolves-coyote, wolf, and dog hybrids-spotted moving together this afternoon. Maryland actually has a significant population of coywolves which are Eastern coyotes. #coywolves #coyote @TheMoCoShow @ModeratelyMoco @DCNewsLive @alanhenney @DCNewsNow… pic.twitter.com/o4AEZvAAcg
— MyDrone.Pro (@MyDronePro) February 1, 2026