What animals are making these vocalizations?

June 17, 2014 9:15 PM

I live in Deerfield, MA, USA. These sounds are coming from a tree across the street. Both the whimpering-pup sounds and the louder squeals/screeches are coming from the same place. Any idea who is making these sounds?
posted by Camofrog to Science & Nature (9 answers total)

Best answer: Could be raccoons.
posted by a humble nudibranch at 9:25 PM on June 17, 2014

Best answer: Sounds pretty raccoonish to me too. They make all kinds of crazy noises.
posted by contraption at 9:34 PM on June 17, 2014

Best answer: Most definitely raccoon.
posted by Go Banana at 9:35 PM on June 17, 2014

Response by poster: I sense a quorum! Bonus question: what are they going on about? Mating? Rearing? Fighting?
posted by Camofrog at 9:38 PM on June 17, 2014

Just the other night I ran outside to chase down the source of noises just like those, and it was two adult raccoons, one chasing the other. My guess is mating.
posted by storminator7 at 10:51 PM on June 17, 2014

Response by poster: According to wikipedia mating is way over, so I'm guessing it's some kind of rearing behavior? Or a late, second litter? I don't know.
posted by Camofrog at 11:09 PM on June 17, 2014

Best answer: It's a rearing thing. The young stick around with the mother for a while and learn to find food. They are pretty chatty IME.
posted by ArgentCorvid at 5:10 AM on June 18, 2014

Best answer: Stay tuned later in the summer for foxes and, worse, fisher cats. *shudder*
posted by wenestvedt at 5:56 AM on June 18, 2014

If not childrearing, then competition for territory.
posted by SemiSalt at 4:09 PM on June 18, 2014