What on earth is this?
July 5, 2012 9:44 AM Subscribe
Help me identify the animal that makes the horrific sound in this recording.
Last night at about 2:00AM I was awoken by something making a horrific screaming/howling sound outside my house. The audio is above. I recorded this by holding my phone to my open window, and so I made a couple adjustments to try and make the recording a bit better: I brought the volume up and tried to remove some of the microphone hiss that you get on an iPhone mic, otherwise this is exactly what it sounded like.
I live in the forest in coastal central California, not far from this park, and my property backs up to undeveloped forest land. We have seen pretty much every type of animal you might expect to see here, including deer, bobcats, raccoons, coyotes, possums, etc. None of them have ever made any sound like this when I've been looking at them.
My first thought was that something was killing my chickens (which are only maybe 10 yards from my bedroom window, which gives an indication as to how loud/close this sounded), but the chickens are all fine and it doesn't look like anything was trying to get into their coop, and after thinking about it, I'd guess that whatever was doing this was up on the hill behind our house, maybe 100-200 yards from the window.
The sound is honestly the most frightening thing I've ever heard in real life. It's like something out of a horror movie. If it was the sound of a mountain lion killing and eating a deer, even that would put me more at ease than the sorts of things I can imagine when hearing this at 2:00AM.
Any good ideas?
Last night at about 2:00AM I was awoken by something making a horrific screaming/howling sound outside my house. The audio is above. I recorded this by holding my phone to my open window, and so I made a couple adjustments to try and make the recording a bit better: I brought the volume up and tried to remove some of the microphone hiss that you get on an iPhone mic, otherwise this is exactly what it sounded like.
I live in the forest in coastal central California, not far from this park, and my property backs up to undeveloped forest land. We have seen pretty much every type of animal you might expect to see here, including deer, bobcats, raccoons, coyotes, possums, etc. None of them have ever made any sound like this when I've been looking at them.
My first thought was that something was killing my chickens (which are only maybe 10 yards from my bedroom window, which gives an indication as to how loud/close this sounded), but the chickens are all fine and it doesn't look like anything was trying to get into their coop, and after thinking about it, I'd guess that whatever was doing this was up on the hill behind our house, maybe 100-200 yards from the window.
The sound is honestly the most frightening thing I've ever heard in real life. It's like something out of a horror movie. If it was the sound of a mountain lion killing and eating a deer, even that would put me more at ease than the sorts of things I can imagine when hearing this at 2:00AM.
Any good ideas?
In Rhode Island, my neighbors and I are arguing over whether we have been hearing boring foxes or (ooh, exotic!) a fisher a.k.a. fisher cat. Regardless, spooky.
posted by wenestvedt at 9:54 AM on July 5, 2012
posted by wenestvedt at 9:54 AM on July 5, 2012
Actually, it looks like it's not mating season. But raccoons fighting might make that sound, too.
posted by Joey Bagels at 9:58 AM on July 5, 2012
posted by Joey Bagels at 9:58 AM on July 5, 2012
While that doesn't sound exactly like the terrifying sound of foxes mating which leaves me in a cold sweat at 2am, it sounds similar enough that I'm willing to bet it's something mating. Unpleasant.
posted by catch as catch can at 9:59 AM on July 5, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by catch as catch can at 9:59 AM on July 5, 2012 [1 favorite]
I'm going to say 'possum. They can produce a truly freakish scream.
This you-tube video is the best example I can find at short notice (screams start at about 0:22).
posted by Kriesa at 10:00 AM on July 5, 2012 [1 favorite]
This you-tube video is the best example I can find at short notice (screams start at about 0:22).
posted by Kriesa at 10:00 AM on July 5, 2012 [1 favorite]
Oh, and here's a page of recordings of raccoons makin' noise. Any of them sound familiar?
posted by Joey Bagels at 10:00 AM on July 5, 2012
posted by Joey Bagels at 10:00 AM on July 5, 2012
Sounds like the raccoons that had sex in our alley a few months ago. Woke up everyone in our building. Could be possums, I suppose, but the sex-having alley raccoons really sounded like someone being violently and horribly and slowly murdered. Like your recording!
posted by rtha at 10:14 AM on July 5, 2012
posted by rtha at 10:14 AM on July 5, 2012
Rabbits scream as well... To me they always sound like a woman in a horror movie. Look it up on YouTube... Doesn't even look like a little bunny could make that sound even if you see the videos.
posted by takoukla at 10:26 AM on July 5, 2012
posted by takoukla at 10:26 AM on July 5, 2012
I agree that it could be a dying rabbit, having heard that particular sound a few times growing up.
posted by hermitosis at 10:39 AM on July 5, 2012
posted by hermitosis at 10:39 AM on July 5, 2012
Maybe it is skunk fight. They sound awful and make a noise like that.They also seem to be out and about on hot humid nights.
posted by mermayd at 10:51 AM on July 5, 2012
posted by mermayd at 10:51 AM on July 5, 2012
My money's on medium-sized-mammal fight/mating. Sounds like something an elk or similar ungulate could belt out, though.
posted by cmoj at 11:41 AM on July 5, 2012
posted by cmoj at 11:41 AM on July 5, 2012
Best answer: There's two of them, if you listen closely, one of them with a much deeper voice.
Sounds like wild pigs, and the area around Nisene Marks is known to have them.
posted by the Real Dan at 11:50 AM on July 5, 2012 [2 favorites]
Sounds like wild pigs, and the area around Nisene Marks is known to have them.
posted by the Real Dan at 11:50 AM on July 5, 2012 [2 favorites]
Best answer: I'm betting it's wild boars fighting.
Wild boar caught by dogs. The screaming starts at about 1:25, and I think that first shriek particularly similar to what you recorded.
posted by DisreputableDog at 3:16 PM on July 5, 2012 [2 favorites]
Wild boar caught by dogs. The screaming starts at about 1:25, and I think that first shriek particularly similar to what you recorded.
posted by DisreputableDog at 3:16 PM on July 5, 2012 [2 favorites]
And in case you're curious and want comparison:
Cougar screams.
Fisher cat screams.
Skunk sounds.
posted by DisreputableDog at 3:22 PM on July 5, 2012
Cougar screams.
Fisher cat screams.
Skunk sounds.
posted by DisreputableDog at 3:22 PM on July 5, 2012
Response by poster: I guess the problem with this question and these answers is that most of the answers are feasible but none are definitively true. So far the suggestion that seems most likely is wild boars fighting. I've never actually seen one around here, but they're supposed to exist.
posted by tylerkaraszewski at 8:30 PM on July 5, 2012
posted by tylerkaraszewski at 8:30 PM on July 5, 2012
Best answer: I'll second that wild boar theory. I've listened to everything else and nothing seemed close, but the boar sounds dead on. Other sites say they're in the park as well.
posted by Blake at 3:51 AM on July 6, 2012
posted by Blake at 3:51 AM on July 6, 2012
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Joey Bagels at 9:49 AM on July 5, 2012 [2 favorites]