Bird(?) that sounds like a creaky door (NC, USA) (1 Viewer)

[rosaphile]

We live in woodland. I often hear a sound from behind the house almost exactly like a creaky door opening - not a high-pitched squeaky gate-hinge sound, more like the sound made by the door of the spooky haunted house when the hapless teens are about to go in, but probably less than 2 seconds in length. I hear this sound during both the night and day, and when I do, it's just once, never repeated. Could this be a bird, and if so, what kind? Thanks!

 

[DarkFireFalcon]

It might be a frog or toad, given that you hear it at night and during the day.

 

[nartreb]

Never repeated? Doesn't seem likely for a frog, insect (and it's bordering on too cold for those this time of year anyway), or bird.

Is it more likely to happen when there's wind? Look for a tree trunk or branch that's touching another one; maybe a tree with a double trunk. When the wind is just right they may shift and rub past each other with a creaking noise.

 

[Zheljko]

Maybe some animal (cat?) is using a space between some larger structures to squeeze through and pushes two objects together and they clink.

 

[howiewu]

Maybe it was a creaking door Do you have a shed or something in your backyard?

 

[KC Foggin]

What about a Grackle?

http://www.math.sunysb.edu/~tony/birds/sounds/97sounds/grackles1.au

 

[Larry Lade]

Probably not your bird, but click here and then scroll down to play the call of the bird. Pretty creepy! As stated in an above post, probably the wind causing one tree branch to rub against a neaby branch which is causing the sound you are hearing.

 

[Boro Birder]

Long-Eared Owl young also make a creaking gate sound when in the nest, but again to late in the year and not to sure of you get them in the states.