Crazy Twilight Hooting Bird in Timberon (yard, rated, trees)

[RanchoNan]

This bird starts hollering every evening around twilight (now) and goes on for about an hour or so.

It's almost a hoot, but not like an owl. Also, on the 'not an owl' premise - I went tromping through the next lot looking for it the other night. And when I got too close to it, it flew away (hooting) and I could hear the loud flapping of it's wings. Owls fly silently.

I never got a look at it.

It sounds (to me) like the sound one would make by breathing short rapid breaths into a recorder or a flute. Same sound, over and over, never varies.

Anybody know what it is?

[Mike Horrell]

We have doves that sound much like that. It took me a while to figure out which
bird was making that noise.

[jazzlover]

Maybe a band-tailed pigeon? Listen here:

Band-tailed Pigeon - Whatbird.com

[RanchoNan]

Ohh, cool site! But - no, that's not it. Crazybird sound is much sharper (it doesn't fade out at the end) and louder. Really loud. Sounds like it might be a big bird.

At first I though it was a dog caught somewhere, whining or whimpering.

Song, are you around? I'm wondering if you might be able to hear it from your house.

[chilegal]

Does the bird start just at dusk? And is he always in the same area?

If so maybe you could go there about 20-30 minutes early and see if you can spot something then or when it starts up.

Good luck,

[RanchoNan]

Hi Jane, Yes and Yes. I think he's in the trees over in our next lot. That's a good idea, I'll try and remember to go over there this evening with my camera and try to see him.
Usually I forget about him until he starts singin'

Maybe it's some kind of a crane. Just guessing . . .

Nan.

[Vinegaroon]

It's probably a right-winged cuckoo. My understanding is that their habitat has been primarily out east in and about Washington D.C. the last few years, but recently the residents there considered them to have become such a pest that they shooed them out of there. My guess is that some of these cuckoos have migrated to New Mexico.

[Cathy4017]

Originally Posted by egglady

Ohh, cool site! But - no, that's not it. Crazybird sound is much sharper (it doesn't fade out at the end) and louder. Really loud. Sounds like it might be a big bird.

At first I though it was a dog caught somewhere, whining or whimpering.

Song, are you around? I'm wondering if you might be able to hear it from your house.

A whining, sad sound? What about a mourning dove?

http://www.all-birds.com/Mourning-Dove.htm

[Mike Horrell]

Originally Posted by Cathy4017

A whining, sad sound? What about a mourning dove?

Mourning Dove

I'm glad someone else besides me thinks it's a dove. I hear them mostly in the
morning but also throughout the day.

[Cathy4017]

Originally Posted by Mike Horrell

I'm glad someone else besides me thinks it's a dove. I hear them mostly in the
morning but also throughout the day.

The first time I really noticed their call was at dusk in an empty courthouse yard in Fort Davis. It just made the hair on my arm stand up.

They don't sound like any other kind of dove to me.