Short Eared Owl "squeal" Call

[KentYeti]

Does anyone know for certain what the "excited squeal" call that the Short Eared Owl makes is?.

I feel it is some sort of aggressive call to other SEO's that it encounters when hunting. That is when I have heard it from over wintering birds in Kent.

My observations show it only occurs when it sees another SEO. Either on the ground or in flight. In all but one instance of me hearing the squeal the other SEO on the ground has taken to the air as a result of the call and either confronted the calling SEO with legs down etc, (and possibly responded with a similar call) or allowed itself to be chased off.

It is proving a useful way of knowing when an SEO is roosting unknown to me. i.e another one flies in, spots it and makes the call.

I am GOOGLING it. But mainly read that over wintering SEOs are silent! Not so.

I have found mention of the call in a USA online book, where they record a call like the squealing of young pigs, but in the context of when their young have been disturbed. Clearly not the case here in Kent.

Any help and/or comments appreciated,

Cheers,

Bryan

[Dogghound]

I have heard what I think may be the same call you describe, however I did not associate it with aggression but rather a contact call. A few years ago we had a communal roost and owls would do this in and around the roost as well as before returning to roost. The ones I see are almost always silent. I once almost stood on one in long grass when it flushed it made a really odd sound like "waaaah" as it flew off.

Depending on prey density some birds can hold a winter feeding territory, I wonder if what you are seeing is linked in some way to this competition for feeding areas and the bird is using the call as a territorial reminder to the other bird.

[Wendy Woo]

Last week I was watching 3 SEOs at Papercourt. They were contently avoiding each other. But I did hear a squeal like noise behind me, and when I swung around saw a Barn Owl with a SEO fairly near to it, but not mobbing it. I couldnt tell which owl made the noise. I have also read that SEO are silent. However Chris Sperrings website states this.......

'It is unusual for wintering Short-eared Owls to call, except in years when there are large numbers occupying the same winter areas. When this happens they will show territorial aggression and will warn each other, using their main barking call.
In their pre-breeding displays the male Short-eared Owls utter a low-toned song, which can be delivered in fast volley as a part of an aerial display above the ground roosting female'

'

[DOXHOPE]

Short eared owls can be quite noisy, Im watching a number of them here at the minute, go on the British library recordings, there are calls of males, females and youngsters..