Night time squawking

Kittiwake · #1 (**permalink**) 23-05-2010, 09:51 PM

For the last couple of nights, there has been squawking outside. Like a squeak with a rough edge and it's very, very loud!

It happens every 10 seconds or so and occasionally there is more than one "voice". I went out to investigate and it's coming from high up in a mature oak in a small wooded area between arable fields. It goes on for hours.

I managed to record it the other night but can we post sound files on here?

Kittiwake · #2 (**permalink**) 23-05-2010, 10:07 PM

Just listening to them again now and it's a 2-syllable phrase - short one followed immediately by a slightly longer, slightly higher pitched one. Sounds like a conversation between birds in different places, but when I went out the other night they seemed to be coming from the same place. Owls?

SheffieldLass · #3 (**permalink**) 23-05-2010, 11:28 PM

Is it a 'keewick keewick' sort of sound? That would be a tawny owl. They have been very vocal around my house the last few nights.

Naturenutz · #4 (**permalink**) 23-05-2010, 11:39 PM

Agree sounds like a tawny Kee (low) Wick (high).

Kittiwake · #5 (**permalink**) 24-05-2010, 12:29 AM

It's definitely not the "kee-wick" Tawny Owl call. I'm trying to upload the audio to YouTube right now (it's taking forever). Will post a link when it's done.

Kittiwake · #6 (**permalink**) 24-05-2010, 01:12 AM

OK here's the audio for identification. A bit challenging due to it being recorded using a tiny digital voice recorder. It'll give you an idea, but it sounds very scratchy. In reality, it sounds a little more tuneful - like when you step on a squeaky ball.

YouTube - Nocturnal calls

Hope someone knows what it is! It's been at it for over 3 hours tonight and still going strong.

valleyforge · #7 (**permalink**) 24-05-2010, 08:16 AM

I'm pretty sure that this is the call of a tawny owlet ... a fledgling calling to be fed.

Once the youngsters outgrow the nest, they spend some weeks 'branching' ... that is they stay up high, making short flights from branch to branch.

At this stage they become even more vocal so that their parents can locate them, and because siblings may be in different trees, you'll hear the sounds from more than one location.

The Woodman · #8 (**permalink**) 24-05-2010, 09:04 AM

I think there's two owlets in the recording.

Kittiwake · #9 (**permalink**) 24-05-2010, 04:35 PM

Tawny owlets? Yep, that makes sense. They were in full voice relentlessly from before 11pm until well after 4am, so must have been hungry!

Thanks everyone for your audio ID skills and for sharing your knowledge. I'm rather pleased to know that I have at least 2 owlets just a few feet from the house.

And it has prompted me to go and get a decent sound recorder too.