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Bird? Sounds at night?
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Posted by ellix augusta ga (My Page) on Tue, Feb 28, 06 at 20:41
| I live at the edge of a 2-3 acre pond with woods on three sides--in a neighorhood. The last week I have been hearing these bird sounds as soon as it is dusk. Any time I wake up at tight I also hear them so it is anytime at dark. Loud sounds-they seem to echo and they come from the tall trees. Almost screeching sounds. I really don't know how to describe them in words. But they are LOUD. I hear them inside with all the windows shut. What are they??????????????????????? |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Bird? Sounds at night?
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- Posted by ericwi Dane County WI (My Page) on
Tue, Feb 28, 06 at 20:47
| It could be owls. They like to hunt at night. I'm not sure what species, though. |
RE: Bird? Sounds at night?
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- Posted by ellix augusta ga (My Page) on
Wed, Mar 1, 06 at 6:40
| T thought owls had a hooting sound-and wouldn't they make these sounds all year long-not just in the early spring? thanks, molly |
RE: Bird? Sounds at night?
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| Go to enature.com and listen to screech owls, barred owls, black crowned and yellow crowned night herons - you might hear your bird on that site. |
Here is a link that might be useful: Enature
RE: Bird? Sounds at night?
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| Are they redwinged black birds or starlings? They can make alot of noise, just as they are roosting. |
RE: Bird? Sounds at night?
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- Posted by ellix augusta ga (My Page) on
Wed, Mar 1, 06 at 19:09
| Thanks so much for the site I am on my way there after this mess. Do starlings and redwings make noise all night long? I have not seen any at my feeders by day. This began about 10 days ago. I moved here last summer so have not experienced this time of year here before. Thanks, molly |
RE: Bird? Sounds at night?
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| It goes on all night long??? Hmmmm....Maybe it's a mockingbird? How about frogs? |
RE: Bird? Sounds at night?
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| I am thinking tree frogs...? |
RE: Bird? Sounds at night?
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| I don't think tree frogs (at least around here) sing at night. But there are lots of others that do. Some sound like a woman screaming! I have a little water garden, and so far, the only one that sings at night (in summer) is the green frog, and he sounds more like the plunk of a banjo. :) |
RE: Bird? Sounds at night?
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| Catherine, the "woman screaming" could be a fox - they can make simply horrid sounds. |
Here is a link that might be useful: fox sounds
RE: Bird? Sounds at night?
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- Posted by ellix augusta ga (My Page) on
Thu, Mar 2, 06 at 6:49
| Not a mokingbird, I do have them and know what they sound like. Don't think a fox as it comes from the tops of the very tall trees. I know tree frogs are in trees but can't believe they could possibly be that loud. Yes all night- as soon as it is dusk it begins and any time throught the night I wake I hear them. Right up until it's light out-then not a sound. I got onto that sight with the sounds- but I had a problem getting a sound. Today I may have time to get that worked out. It looks like a great site, thanks again. I'm sure I have all kinds of other frogs here, I moved here last summer and could go out at night and the sounds of frogs coming fron the big pond(about 150 feet away) was unreal and very very loud but this is different. Sometimes I think I can locate it to a huge pine tree (and I do mean tall). I have seen one of those large woodpeckers in it a (pifilated) spelled wrong for sure. Would love for this to be him and a mate but really don't think so not at night. Thanks, molly |
RE: Bird? Sounds at night?
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RE: Bird? Sounds at night?
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I'm up in Indiana, and I'm sure you guys have different animals/insects in Georgia that I'm unfamiliar with.
Can you describe the sound a little more? Does it sound like 1 or more? I have a CD of night sounds, and I could try to figure it out for you.
I love a good mystery! :) |
RE: Bird? Sounds at night?
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- Posted by ellix augusta ga (My Page) on
Fri, Mar 3, 06 at 19:35
| I wish I could describe it. It is very loud and sharp. Very quick and constant. I was at Wild Birds Unlimted this evening and tried to describe it to them. They are thinking tree frogs as some of the readers thought. It is just hard for me to think they could actually be a frog. If they are then they will be in my pond soon laying eggs and I will see them. I do at least know what toads and bullfrogs sound like and it is nothing like either. I have never heard(that I know of) treefrogs or spring peepers. I am wondering if it may be a night heron or such like bird? |
RE: Bird? Sounds at night?
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| Here's a link to some frog sounds. See if you can pick one out that sounds like yours. |
Here is a link that might be useful: frog sounds
Georgia frogs
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| Actually, I found a site for frogs from Georgia. Check it out too. |
Here is a link that might be useful: Georgia frogs
RE: Bird? Sounds at night?
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- Posted by ellix augusta ga (My Page) on
Mon, Mar 6, 06 at 21:36
| I have been trying to get the sound to work from enature. Has anyone had problems with that? I e-mailed them but no luck so far. I am sure I would be able to hear it if I could get into thier sound. I checked out the other site for frogs --good sound just didn't hear my sound. thanks, molly |
RE: Bird? Sounds at night?
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- Posted by ellix augusta ga (My Page) on
Mon, Mar 13, 06 at 20:37
| Well now the sounds have gone! Sure something was looking for a mate. Maybe result will be in my pond if it was treefrogs. Still think it was to loud for them as I hear all kinds of other frogs. But I am new in this area and have a lot to learn. Thanks for all the help. |
RE: Bird? Sounds at night?
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| Let us know if you ever figure it out! I remember for several summers, I could hear something trilling very loudly out in the woods. Couldn't figure out what it was. Then one day, I was sitting on our deck, and thought there was a squirrel stuck in the attic, making the noise. I finally found a tree frog sitting up on the gutter. We have fun talking back and forth with them. They're loud little buggers. |
RE: Bird? Sounds at night?
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| Well, the sounds of the little green tree frogs are VERY loud and very obnoxious to some people. That is totally what I think you have been hearing. They sound very un-frog-like and more like a squawking bird of some kind. 'Trilling' is not the word I would use, either. Most people think, at first, that they are some kind of crazy duck. |
RE: Bird? Sounds at night?
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- Posted by ellix augusta ga (My Page) on
Fri, Mar 17, 06 at 19:22
| I keep looking in the pond for frog eggs. But still --it was so loud that it's hard to believe it could have been frogs. I hear tons of different frogs nightly (as I live near a real pond too) and don't mind them at all. I remember the first day I heard it--as I was driving into the driveway. I went all around looking in the trees for this (bird). |
RE: Bird? Sounds at night?
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| Sounds like green tree frogs still. They are VERY loud during the day and night. Can be heard squawking from a long distance, too. If nearby, they will turn a mild person to violent acts to get them to shut up. |
RE: Bird? Sounds at night?
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RE: Bird? Sounds at night?
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| Maybe it is a whip-poor-will go to the following sight and click on whip-poor-will to see if this is what you heard. Try them all. http://www.nhest.org/birdguid.html |
RE: Bird? Sounds at night?
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| Its frogs. They are loud. |
RE: Bird? Sounds at night?
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- Posted by ellix augusta ga (My Page) on
Thu, Jun 26, 08 at 8:08
Well I have not heard that sound since. It has been two years now. I never did figure out what it was.
I have a large pond down the hill and since have installed a goldfish pond up close to my house - right outside my bedroom. I have heard every strange sound from the frogs I could imagine. I have so many types of frogs, of course the bull frogs,and what sounds like many types of dogs barking, singing, you name it. But I have not heard that same sound from before. |
RE: Bird? Sounds at night?
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- Posted by rbrady 5/Eastern Ia (My Page) on
Thu, Jun 26, 08 at 18:20
| I wonder if it could have been a raccoon? My mother once told me they make many different sounds, some very loud and sscream-like. Rhonda |
RE: Bird? Sounds at night?
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- Posted by ellix augusta ga (My Page) on
Fri, Jun 27, 08 at 8:08
| Rhonda, I do indeed have raccoons but have never heard these sounds since that spring. I have coons, possums, fox, and green heron. |
RE: Bird? Sounds at night?
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i live in dallas. my friend and i have been investigating a sound that takes place at night, also. these are our clues *sound is very loud, like the loudness of a
cicada
*sound is somewhat rhythmic. the sound has two
syllables.
*sound coming from the same group, of high cut
trees, in a residential neighborhood
*we can never see any sort of animal, bird or
insect.
we have seen a couple of bats flipping around in the night sky, right around the lot that these sounds are coming from.I cannot tell you how crazy this curiousity is making us. we have to be writing of the same sounds, don't you think? |
RE: Bird? Sounds at night?
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The last couple of nights when walking our dogs we have heard a sound coming from the tall trees.... It is a scary screem... The dogs stop, ears go up and they look but they don't seem scared, I was!
We have woods and wet lands all around us, and we have tons!!! of frogs, toads etc... this is not a tree toad sound. The only sound that I have been able to find that is even close is the sound that a Red Tailed hawk makes... a scream.. but Im not sure if this is what is making it.... have a listen and see what you think.
http://www.nhest.org/birdguid.html#rtail |
Here is a link that might be useful: A Brief Guide to Common Birds
RE: Bird? Sounds at night?
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| Ok, it is November. Have not heard the noises coming from high within the trees. I am speaking of a noise loud and similar in sound of the cicada. The noise is rhythmic. It would start at dark and go through the night. The sounds fell off around late August. Never even got a clue as to what animal this sound came from. |
RE: Bird? Sounds at night?
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| I think it might have been spring peepers, a kind of small frog. I have heard these sounds all night long around my pond this spring (this being the first spring we've lived here), and thought it was birds as well. After researching it tonight and listening to lots of birds that DON'T make that sound, I turned to the frogs and found that it is spring peepers. You are right . . . they are LOUD! And they to call all night long. I like the sound, eerie though it is. |
Here is a link that might be useful: Spring peeper
RE: Bird? Sounds at night?
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| Ellix/Augusta, GA...I am sure what you heard was an American Robin...follow the link and give it a listen. It's not a rough screech, just a high pitched screech that echos loudly in the quiet night. I hear these birds in full activity between 11:00 pm and 8:00 or 9:00 am. Though they do continue in daylight hours, they are much more active in the late night/early morning. I'm not sure why but one theory that I found online is that some groups of birds actually choose to communicate at night in areas that are growing in population and daytime noise pollution. The quite night offers less competition! I live in Fort Mill, SC...just a few miles south of Charlotte, NC. I am in a wooded area very near Lake Wylie and the area is experiencing rapid growth. I researched the sounds of birds that typically sing at night like the Whippoorwill and the Carolina Wren but the sounds weren't even close. Based on the above theory, I started listening to daytime birds that are typical for this area and the American Robin is definately the culprit here. Let me know what you think after listening... |
Here is a link that might be useful: enature/American Robin
RE: Bird? Sounds at night?
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Ellix, is it your bird please come and get it. It came to Lawrenceville now, Sever rd . I saw that bird, it is grey
almost white color and as large as the hawk, very strong wing flap, the sound is tsk aw aw, tsk aw aw.. very much in same frequecy. For weeks I though some alarm went off because it does not stop, and she is on those tree and
yelling fo hours now.
I cant sleep because she's next to my window every night for 3 weeks now. I may call the cops. |
RE: Bird? Sounds at night?
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| And what are the cops supposed to do? |
RE: Bird? Sounds at night?
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help!!! re: bird? sounds at night?
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| If it isn't too late to join this conversation, I heard a scream from inside the house and went out to see what was going on this evening . . . finally got a flashlight and completely searched through a large oak in our front yard . . . DANG, this thing is driving me crazy and I finally decided it must be some kind of bird. I listened to the red-tailed hawk link and IT IS CLOSE, but not nearly as "scary" sounding or as loud as whatever this is in our yard. Sorry to be blunt, but it is pissing me off . . . I have no idea what it is, and secondly, I want it to go away! Needless to say, none of the owl sounds are even close . . . |
help #2 -- re: bird? sounds at night?
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| By the way, that American Robin sound wasn't even scary, it just sounded pretty . . . THAT I could handle. This is a loud screech or scream, sounds like a VERY LOUD Cicada . . . but it isn't a Cicada or June bug. To be honest, at first I thought it was someone's burglar alarm or something similar . . . don't laugh, it's just very loud and annoying. ALSO, it isn't like a multiple-syllable or multi-tone sound. It's just one loud scary "squawk" or whatever and it sounds like a woman or child screaming almost! |
RE: Bird? Sounds at night?
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| Never even got a clue as to what animal this sound came from. Did you read this thread? And you still don't have a clue? hmmmm..... ps. (its frogs) |
RE: Bird? Sounds at night?
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| I also live in a wooded area with a lake in close proximity and a couple of months ago I heard terrible screams late at night, all my windows were closed but the sounds was still clear, initially I thought it was one of my kids having a bad dream, it sounded like a child screaming. After checking throughout my house I pinpointed the sound coming from outside it set off my sensor lights, dogs were barking up a storm. Wrote it off as a possible coyote kill or even maybe a deer birth and I never heard it again, until last night... In the early morning 1-3, was the shrill/screech sounds of something big and calling from the trees, I can't believe how unbeleivably loud and scary they sounded. Drove my dogs nuts, my mastiff was ready to go at it. I'm sure it's a bird of some sort, at least two cause as soon after the dogs started barking the cries subsided and then started again from a distance. Pretty sure not a red tail hawk or crow or frogs, heard the sound byes and no match. Any suggestions? Next time I'll try to record it. |
RE: Bird? Sounds at night?
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| Great horned owls are known for hair raising shrieks. Perhaps that's what you heard earthismyplayground. |
RE: Bird? Sounds at night?
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| wow. i live in a tree lined suburb and last night was awakened by an unearthly screeching/screaming. looked out the window and neighbor was pointing a flashlight up in a tree. i haven't talked to him today to find out what he saw, but the sound sure sounded like those fighting fox/cottontail sounds referred to in earlier post. WEIRD. something was being attacked or upset. disturbing, right here in River City. does a screech owl make those kind of sounds?? |
RE: Bird? Sounds at night?
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| we have this same thing happening in our lake community in South Jersey -- it's almost a metallic twang or sharp screech and it moves fast through the trees -- I could track it moving through the neighborhood. It had our dog going nuts for an hour last night. Was a really sharp, noise with almost an echo afterwords... I listened to all the sound bytes I could find on animals/birds/frogs, etc... and have yet to find out what it is.. it has my neighbor extremely freaked out. |
RE: Bird? Sounds at night?
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| FROGS. of the tree variety. |
RE: Bird? Sounds at night?
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| A woman asked me yesterday if I knew what kind of bird crows at night? Maybe someone has a suggestion. She said that around midnight it crows exactly 18 times right outside her window and wakes her up, then 15 minutes later from further away another bird or the same one, crows again exactly 18 times and that is it. This has been happening every night. I asked her if really was a crowing sound and she was sure of the sound. |
RE: Bird? Sounds at night?
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| I am sure I'm being haunted by the same sound that haunted ellix down in Georgia for a while. I live in Wisconsin, next to a small river, with treed banks. The assertive declaration of "tree frog" is inviting, but for one problem: It's not that. I've searched the internet for sounds of tree frogs, spring peepers, other frogs, mockingbirds, screech owls. It's none of them. It's not a whistle, not a song, not a prolonged call of any sort. It's a quick, sharp, angry, piercing screech. Almost desperate sounding. It persists all night. I can't sleep. It could be a red-tailed hawk--I've seen them in my yard--but I haven't yet heard an sound clip of that big bird that's a clincher, just cries that are vaguely similar, closer than any of the other suggestions. |
RE: Bird? Sounds at night?
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| ellix, I have this same problem/bird! This is NOT a frog and NOT an owl. I know what these sound like and it,s not these. I have no idea what kind of bird it is but, it is some kind of crazy bird. I too cannot describe that sound as i have never heard it during the day. Itold my mother it was almost like a yell. It starts at night and continues until morning. My animal took about a week break but now is back. I just wanted you to know that I too have this animal. I live in Louisville, Ky just so you know what area I'm in. Jamie |
RE: Bird? Sounds at night?
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| I know what it is..it IS an owl. They are Barn Owls and when they see a predator (I.e.) the lady with the dogs, they SCREAM like mad at you. Scares the HELL out of whomever is walking. I work at an airport where we have a Mom and 4 babies (or did until we boarded up the spot in the hangar they were nesting) Don't worry the babies were fledged already. But it was a funny thing to NOT tell any 'newbies' about the owls. You would walk in between hangars at night, and they would sit on top of them and then SCREAM at you. Most people would jump a mile out of their skin over it. Always good for a laugh....lol...I remember one night I had 3 babies sitting on top of the Hangar and I froze. They looked at me and bobbed and twisted and bobbed trying to figure out WHY i was just standing there. They decided THREE screams would get me to move. It worked. LOL it was LOUD and sounded like someone getting killed. lol. Just barn owls. It makes perfect sense, because the nature of these comments seem to be from all over the US and this is one bird who is common throughout. This audio is not a very good sample but I'd bet money that's what it is. |
Here is a link that might be useful: You tube
RE: Bird? Sounds at night?
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| imgu89 is close, but it's not a barn owl. It's a juvenile Great Horned Owl. We all know the sound of the adult Great Horned Owl's hoot, but as juveniles, they let out a piercing shreik as they beg for food all through the night. It sounds exactly like a cross between a parrot and a red-tailed hawk screech. Super loud and carries all the way across the farmer's fields behind our house--no way it's a frog. This spring we would have a pair of adult Great Horned owls who would frequently perch on our roof and hoot to each other. It only makes sense that they were nesting in a nearby tree. We are now lucky enough to have a baby in the trees behind our pond and the sound is unmistakable. There is more information here: http://www.birdwatchersgeneralstore.com/owl.htm Here is a picture of one of the awkward little guys (or gals): http://www.douglloydphotography.com/mediac/400_0/media/DIR_9698/horned~owl~618.jpg Here's a sound file--scroll down to "Recordings" and click the middle one. http://owling.com/Great_Horned.htm Here's another one--scroll down to "Great Horned Owl" and click the second one that says "Owlet calling for food." http://www.owlpages.com/sounds.php Ours is a little lower than both of these and sounds more like a parrot screech than a red-tailed hawk screech, but that's what it is for sure. Mystery solved. Count yourselves lucky if you hear it that you have these magnificent birds reproducing in your neighborhood (unless you're a mouse). |
RE: Bird? Sounds at night?
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| I'm not going to give imgu partial credit. The situations were completely different, and even a quick read of the thread should have made that obvious. How many times in this thread was someone "sure" what it was, only to be wrong. I wish I'd been able to place that bet before chauch chimed in, because DING DING DING! That's it! That's exactly it! This is the bird that won't shut up, that's been keeping me up all night long. Every 20-30 seconds all night long, dusk to dawn, with occasional breaks (for a delivered meal, I now assume). Thank you, chauch. And I appreciate the pep talk, too. Great Horned Owls are majestic birds, and it's cool they're nesting back in our trees. It *IS* a slight consolation to my insomnia, and I'll try to bear that in mind when my head hits the pillow tonight. |
RE: Bird? Sounds at night?
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| Would anyone know what bird makes a high-pitched cooing sound at night? It sounds similar to a dove, but higher-pitched and only at night. We have the Chuck Will's Widow and I know how they sound, but this one has me stumped. We live in Middle TN and not near water. |
RE: Bird? Sounds at night?
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| Sounds like it might be a Screech Owl. They have a soft cooing call -- often also described like a low whinny. |
RE: Bird? Sounds at night?
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| I'm betting its a Barred Owl, they sound almost like a monkey shrieking. Will scare the heck out of you, and they will call back and forth all night. There huge Owls and rarly seen. |
RE: Bird? Sounds at night?
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| I'll bet what a lot of people are hearing is the screeching of the common nighthawk. They fly around at night after insects with a constant screech every five or six seconds (described as sounding like PEEANT). If it's coming from the same spot in a tree, it could be owlets. If it's moving around, it's probably nighthawks. And the mournful "cooing" noises, I agree, are likely screech owls. More info on them hear: http://identify.whatbird.com/obj/387/_/Common_Nighthawk.aspx They can eat up to around 500 mosquitoes a day, so I don't have a problem with them. |
RE: Bird? Sounds at night?
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| Barn Owls are the only owls that scream. Everything else is a rationalization. Screech Owls "whinny". Barred Owls hoot "Whoo cooks for you" and make a funny cackle occasionally. But not a scream. Great Horned Owls hoot, and their babies make a different call, but it cannot be reasonably termed a 'scream.' |
RE: Bird? Sounds at night?
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| Its here, sounds like nothing i've ever heard, and i've spent many nights outside in the wilderness. The dogs keep going nuts, and i can't get to sleep. If i had to guess i'd say some kind of Owl, or large bird. Highly doubt its a frog.(but i could be wrong) |
RE: Bird? Sounds at night?
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Okay - this is strange. I came across this site because this same noise is driving me insane and I finally decided to look it up. 5 years ago this same sound being described was so loud coming form the trees in my backyard that we couldn't sleep - even with the windows shut. The following year it went away, but now its back! This is the best description I can give and it is NONE of the sounds listed above, as I've listened to them all.
1. It is a very loud noise that goes from dusk to dawn.
2. It is definitely rhythmic.
3. It sounds almost like a raspy and very quick 'quack-quack-quack PAUSE quack- quack-quack PAUSE...'.
4. It is definitely coming from the trees.
5. You can throw off the ryhthm by making a loud noise of clapping but then the rhythmic three pulse sound continues in that pattern all night.
6. I can hear an 'answer' from far off trees
7. The sound does not move around during the night but rather seems to stay in the same spot, however, the following night may seem a little more distant, as though it has moved to another tree.
8. I live in Ontario Canada. It only goes on in the summer. This is definitely not a cicada. The sound is in no way pleasant like a bird sound. It is rough and raspy and very loud. It seems to be too loud to be any sort of insect. It is louder than any other night sound and seems as though it is making the noise into a microphone. I describe it as our night duck. I need to find out what this is. It is driving me insane!!! (both the sound, and not knowing what it is!) |
RE: Bird? Sounds at night?
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| I live in Michigan near a stream, wetlands many trees nearby. I hear this sound at dusk until early dawn. It is a 'che-che' 'che-che' sound repeating at a constant frequency. What might this be? Why would this be occuring at night time only? |
RE: Bird? Sounds at night?
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| katd your bird could be a duck. I had only seen wood ducks in the trees but in front of our YMCA is a stream. Several times I have seen both mallards and what appear to be teal or scovelers standing in the trees. One of the mallards was way up at the top. If distressed ducks will sound off at night. |
RE: Bird? Sounds at night?
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| katd........its katydids. (almost like your name!) |
RE: Bird? Sounds at night?
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| Hello, I agree with Rafe, it's a nighthawk! I think its the Lesser Nighthawk (Chordeiles acutipennis). Check out Animal Diversity Web to hear the sounds. See the link below. The first sound is what I hear. The nighthawks roost outside my window in a loquat tree. I hear their calls, trills or chatter from early nightfall until dawn. I generally hear them only 3 or 4 times a night. Apparently they are foraying for insects most of the night. I love to hear them, especially now that I know what is
making the chatter! Regards,
Joe
Tallahassee, Florida |
Here is a link that might be useful: Animal Diversity Web
RE: Bird? Sounds at night?
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| What a cool call the nighthawks have. Wish we had them here! Thanks for the link, Joe. Cynthia |
RE: Bird? Sounds at night?
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