I don't know where else to post this. (bird, turkey, dog) - Nature -Animals, natural world, earth, life - City-Data Forum

cremebrulee · 03-15-2009, 05:08 PM

Ok, this may sound nuts but I swear it's true. This morning around 5:15 a.m. I was walking the dog. Still dark, there are woods behind where I live. As I got closer to the woods, I heard this penetrating screaming animal...it was not a cat...I've heard cats scream, it was not a cougar...nor was it dogs...and it was not a heron..

I've never heard anything like it before...it was very loud, matter of fact, I'm surprised it didn't wake some of the neighbors.

I can't even describe it...it wasn't screaming until we got closer to the woods, then it started...it sounded like something huge, and the best description I could use, is, it sounded like a huge bird...I've heard heron's and it was nothing like that...it was actually screaming, very loud.

As we walked further away, it stopped, and I heard nothing moving in the woods, while the screams were so loud, I probably wouldn't have?

Also, it wasn't a bear or a deer...I've heard deer scream before...nor was it wild turkey.

Anyone have any ideas?

leorah · 03-15-2009, 05:27 PM

My guess would be a screech owl. Their call is pretty disconcerting if you've never heard it before. Scroll down this page and listen: Owl Calls & Sounds - All Species.

Kerowyn · 03-15-2009, 05:36 PM

Sorry just had to.
but really hit that website leorah listed and check out some of those animals sounds. You might be surprised at how common your animal really was. i have never heard two cat in heat calls ever really be the same nor two toads croak the same and I have lots of both around my house. One lovely toad ( the smallest ) can call out so loud that I can still hear him over the driving boomboxes on wheels as they go by the house.

sirron · 03-15-2009, 05:40 PM

I know that the sound of a bobcat in the dead of night is enough to make your hair stand on end. It's like a possessed hyena that's heckling you.

cremebrulee · 03-16-2009, 06:36 AM

I was on the internet trying to find the sound and here it is...
I was relieved to find out it wasn't a Banshee...LOL

I can't tell you how loud it was, horrible, plus a lot longer then this, it kept screaming and screaming!

YouTube - red-tailed hawk screaming

leorah · 03-16-2009, 06:49 AM

Hmmmmm. Red-tailed hawks and most other hawks are diurnal. Hawks are visual hunters, and because their eyes aren't able to see well in the dark, they don't hunt at night. Owls do hunt at night. Hawks and owls share habitat. So, if it was dark when you heard the screaming noise, it probably wasn't a hawk of any kind.

new jersey mike · 03-16-2009, 07:05 AM

It's probably a fox
listen to these fox calls especially "faroffcry"

Sounds of the Fox

kahncss · 03-16-2009, 07:44 AM

How about a coyote? We've got some in our woods and their sound is pretty creepy.

cremebrulee · 03-16-2009, 08:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by leorah

Hmmmmm. Red-tailed hawks and most other hawks are diurnal. Hawks are visual hunters, and because their eyes aren't able to see well in the dark, they don't hunt at night. Owls do hunt at night. Hawks and owls share habitat. So, if it was dark when you heard the screaming noise, it probably wasn't a hawk of any kind.

Yes it was dark, bout 5 a.m., and it didn't start screaming until we approached the woods, my guess is, it might have been nesting and saw my little white dog...?

cremebrulee · 03-16-2009, 08:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by new jersey mike

It's probably a fox
listen to these fox calls especially "faroffcry"

Sounds of the Fox

many thanks,
yanno, I think it sounded like the fox in Distress, but it was very loud and went on for approximately 3 minutes or more, and it sounded like two, like fighting...

thanks so much for the sounds...

althought the hawk screathing was close, the screathing was much longer..

boy, I would love to know....

whew, sure am glad it wasn't big foot. Sucker might have snatched us right up....LOL