coyotes have a very social life with each other,each howl means something.The long drawn out howl is an interrogation howl,asking is there any other members of my pack around and where are you.There are many other howls I dont have the space to explain them all.The lonesome howl,the female invitation howl,pup yips and howls,challenge howls,and many more.These are some of the ones you will here.At dark here in the east you sometimes here a pack of coyotes howling,and it sounds like twenty of them but it's usually much less this is what I use on my e-caller to locate where a pack is hanging out at so I can get the right wind and sneak in close enough to call to them.Coyotes are very territorial most of the year and do not tolerate other coyotes in their territory,this is why sometimes when you howl to call to them they answer back with a quicker more excited howl this is the challenge howl,you can sometimes give it right back to them and they get real excited,it's kinda like two people talking crap in an argument or before a fight,sometimes the coyote will come to whip butt.They yip in packs sometimes at night when they have killed something or found something to eat.they howl for many reasons you should study up on it and when you hear them howl you will know some of what they are saying,all these understandings of their language is from studies by a human,only the coyote knows the real meanings of his howls Hope this answers your question!