scops owl soundalike

thebeard · #1 (**permalink**) 06-04-2010, 07:39 PM

are there any UK birds that sound anything like a scops owl, like their 'sonic blip' call!?!? i heard a similar sound on a walk around uni back in feb, obviously not a scops, but it had the a very similar repetitive, echoey, high pitched call. repeated every minute or so.

and it wasnt an electronic beep!

i tried to get a closer look/listen but couldnt locate it, but its been on my mind since

RobinP · #2 (**permalink**) 06-04-2010, 08:19 PM

Starlings are very good mimics of unusual noises, I've also heard Magpies make strange popping noises.

SheffieldLass · #3 (**permalink**) 06-04-2010, 08:33 PM

Why not a Scops Owl? Harry Potter fans have ben buying the 'Harry Potter' owl (which is not illegal if they have not been taken from the wild) and then later dumping them when they get fed up looking after them. A friend of mine was talking to a man from an owl sanctuary very recently, (which is why I came to hear that this is happening) .. he had a Scops Owl with him, and he said it was a problem at the moment. This would appear to be confirmed by the following:

Sanctuary opens for owls dumped by Harry Potter fans - Telegraph

2dogs2000 · #4 (**permalink**) 06-04-2010, 08:37 PM

very used to starlings around here and today I heard a bird that I hadn't heard before. Eventually I located a starling making two sounds repeatedly.
I won't even attempt to describe the sound but I did think it was a new bird to the area.