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LOUD song, I've never heard before. USA, WI sound file (1 Viewer)

erine

Member
This song started suddenly about 2 weeks ago. Its VERY loud and each song lasts about 20 seconds. You can hear it with the doors closed and the TV on. It's always from the same area, it never seems to travel, and it's pretty frequent at this point.
We live behind an auto place, and at first I remember catching part of it and thinking it was some sort of machinery that was trying to turn over. My boyfriend thought parts of it sounded like a monkey. It didn't take us long to realize it was all part of a whole song from a bird. It just took us by surprise because we don't remember hearing anything like this before.

I borrowed a friends modest recorder, sat outside, and taped every call I heard form this bird for about 30-40 minutes. The file I attached is the result. It's kind of faint in the recording, but when I hold my speaker up to my ear, or use the headphones in my ears I can hear it pretty well. Some parts are more faint then others.
The recording doesn't really do justice as to how loud it is.. Keep in mind this is how loud it records, even considering there are trucks behind us, airplanes going to/from our local airport providing some white noise cover, and the bird seems to be even further down the block, so this is a very loud call. It just radiates on the neighborhood. I have neighbors who complain, and wish it would disappear. I don't mind it, I'm just curious to what it is. My boyfriend brought over some bird call CD's but we couldn't find one on there matching this call.

It took me hours to learn how to upload it, change it to MP3 and condense it to fit. I hope it is useful and someone can help figure out who this is. I paused and resumed the recording whenever the call would start again, so you will hear some clicking. there is four distinct and different parts to the call, each time he calls. Some parts I was able to record have more of the complete song then others, depending on how fast I was able to work the recorder.

Listen closely..any thoughts are appreciated. :)
 

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  • bird.mp3
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I wanted to say Pileated woodpecker but it changes a couple times. Once it sounded like somebody was sawing through rusty metal. Try Pileated woodpecker, the call might sound different because of the audio.

-Matt
 
thanks..yes, this was a possibility, I'm not totally unfamiliar with the woodpecker sounds...(though not an expert) and I've been listening to a few audio clips. I'm not saying there is no chance it is this guy...but I would kind of be surprised if it was. I have yet to hear a woodpecker just like this, but again, maybe I just haven't heard it yet.
We also haven't yet heard any of the actual wood pecking, even after going closer to the source for listens. Maybe it's a nesting call I haven't come across yet?

I wish I was better at describing the different sounds it makes in this whole song he gives...but IMO, it's different enough, especially when you compare the similar parts of woodpecker and the unknown call side by side, as it were.
He is not only loud, but persistent. Seems to slow down towards evening thought. Good thing he takes a break between his call, or it would get a little annoying with some of it sounding like a screaming monkey.
 
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I wanted to say Pileated woodpecker but it changes a couple times. Once it sounded like somebody was sawing through rusty metal. Try Pileated woodpecker, the call might sound different because of the audio.

-Matt

I know right? We were taken by surprise at first...because it sounds so bizarre at points, like machinery or *something* especially sense we live behind a few places that use different machinery and tools. It sounds even more bizzare in person, maybe because its so much louder.
But no, my mom thought the same thing as you when I described it to her, but changed her mind when she got to hear it over the phone , the phone picks it up a little better then the recording I think, cuz she could hear it pretty well.

what else could it be???
 
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It does not sound like a native bird to me. Maybe a guineafowl or peacock?

Best,
Jim

Yeah could be, like I said I wasn't totally sold on the Pileated idea. I haven't heard a peacock sound like that before though.

I recently bought a turkey locator call from Cabela's that imitates a peacock and gets the male turkeys to gobble. It doesn't sound like this but you can use it to make a Pileated to that is where I got that idea from. But the more I listen to it the less I'm agreeing with my first guess.
 
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Yeah could be, like I said I wasn't totally sold on the Pileated idea. I haven't heard a peacock sound like that before though.

I recently bought a turkey locator call from Cabela's that imitates a peacock and gets the male turkeys to gobble. It doesn't sound like this but you can use it to make a Pileated to that is where I got that idea from. But the more I listen to it the less I'm agreeing with my first guess.

I was having trouble finding genuine common peafowl recordings, but now that I've found some, they do not sound like it. i could not find many guineafowl recordings either, but they did sound closer. And Sibley describes the call as "raucous notes in rhythmic series".

Best,
Jim
 

hmm I'm going to say with this information so far, it's not this guy.

I cant wait to hear what else some people might think it is...this is a mystery.
I wish I had a better recorder.
Is it possible someone had a pet something or another and let it go? that was my first thought when I heard this, becuase it sounded so exotic but then i thought it was more likely just a call/bird I have not heard under these circumstances yet...but I don't know.
 
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I agree that they guineafowl recording did sound closer, but I'm having trouble making it fit the original sound clip. It's not high pitched enough. Maybe they recorded a fight between a Pileated or Guineafowl ;)?
 
hmm I'm going to say with this information so far, it's not this guy.

I cant wait to hear what else some people might think it is...this is a mystery.
I wish I had a better recorder.
Is it possible someone had a pet something or another and let it go? that was my first thought when I heard this, becuase it sounded so exotic but then i thought it was more likely just a call/bird I have not heard under these circumstances yet...but I don't know.

Well, it doesn't sound exactly like it, but it's in the ballpark. Most birds have a variety of calls, so just because one recording doesn't match does not mean its not the same bird. It might also be a different species of guinea fowl or a hybrid. In any event, as I stated, I think it's some sort of exotic--which often means a pet or some bird being held in captivity. Pileated is probably the closest native bird, but I'm pretty familiar with their call and have never heard one sound similar to the recording.

Best,
Jim
 
Well, it doesn't sound exactly like it, but it's in the ballpark. Most birds have a variety of calls, so just because one recording doesn't match does not mean its not the same bird. It might also be a different species of guinea fowl or a hybrid. In any event, as I stated, I think it's some sort of exotic--which often means a pet or some bird being held in captivity. Pileated is probably the closest native bird, but I'm pretty familiar with their call and have never heard one sound similar to the recording.

Best,
Jim

Right, unfortunately this one will probably not be figured out. Unless of course it continues to call and you go find it and get a picture of it :t:
 
Whatever it is, it sounds to me like there are 2 of them....one closer to the mic than the other. I had a relative with a peacock for a while, and they do sound kind of like that. Hey, try playing back the recording in the woods.
 
Sounds like a couple of very agitated Flickers. But I've never heard a Flicker go on as long as that (except in a banding lab - talk about LOUD).

Peter C.
 
Well, it doesn't sound exactly like it, but it's in the ballpark. Most birds have a variety of calls, so just because one recording doesn't match does not mean its not the same bird. It might also be a different species of guinea fowl or a hybrid. In any event, as I stated, I think it's some sort of exotic--which often means a pet or some bird being held in captivity. Pileated is probably the closest native bird, but I'm pretty familiar with their call and have never heard one sound similar to the recording.

Best,
Jim

thanks, and I agree, good points about the different calls each bird has..which makes it challenging for me I guess..
I also feel better that someone else also thinks it is an exotic, and I'm not crazy. As I explained it to a friend of mine he said, its probably just a loud bluejay....??
Its definatly something outside, but perhaps kept in a cage somewhere.

it almost sounds like it is copying a couple other birds....could that be?

but I also think...if this is a natural call of this type of bird....it is so consistant in it's calls,...there has to be another taping of it somewhere? It has to be something someone else has heard before.
maybe Im wrong on all those accounts tho.

Whatever it is, it sounds to me like there are 2 of them....one closer to the mic than the other. I had a relative with a peacock for a while, and they do sound kind of like that. Hey, try playing back the recording in the woods.


we thought of that, haha. If I had a lap top I'd try just that.
we dont have much for woods, just a thin tree line. I think I will try to do some more exploring tomorrow wth the camera and see if i cant get lucky and spot it. At the very least get a clearer recording.
I'll also keep a look out for the ginea as meantioned, as a possiblity.
thanks everyone.
 
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Hi Erine,

This sounds like a distress recording, likely one that is being used to keep pigeons away. You say that it is coming from near an auto mall/shop. I wouldn't be surprised if they are broadcasting the sounds there.

Chris
 
Hi Erine,

This sounds like a distress recording, likely one that is being used to keep pigeons away. You say that it is coming from near an auto mall/shop. I wouldn't be surprised if they are broadcasting the sounds there.

Chris

I had never heard of that being done either. But it sounds as though it would be as likely to drive away people as birds! (Though perhaps they only use it during off-hours? In which case it would only annoy residents like Erine.:eek!:).

Best,
Jim
 
Found some more information about using distress calls as a bird control measure. There is actually a whole range of devices one can purchase to emit these. See here: http://www.bird-x.com/products-sonic-bird-repellers-c-5_6.html

At least some state they are motion activated.

However, some articles on the Internet claim that they are not very effective against pigeons, and that no distress call specific to feral pigeons has been isolated. See here: http://www.birdproofing.co.nz/birds.htm

Best,
Jim
 
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