Who who whooo?

June 13, 2004 9:58 AM

Owl identification assistance.

This was at about 2AM, and I live in western Massachusetts. I noted two calls: one that starts off with a very clear, amost digital-sounding tone and then deteriorates almost like a creaking door. It was reproduced very accurately 5 or 10 times, then a few of the standard owl "who" - a "whuurrr" with a rolled r.

posted by abcde to Pets & Animals (3 answers total)

There's a family of barred owls living in the trees around my house, and during the late afternoon and early evening they make the standard "whoo-whoo-whoo whooo" calls. At night, though, they make some of the strangest sounds I've ever heard. Kind of cross between an angry rooster and a monkey screeching through a tube. Anyway, this site might be helpful.
posted by Dean King at 10:33 AM on June 13, 2004

Best answer: Are you sure it was an owl? The first call you described (although, admittedly, not the second) sounds like a passable description of a Common Nighthawk's call.

Mr. King's theory about Barred Owls might be on the money, too. Here's what my Sibley guide has to say about Barred Owl calls (bolding mine):

Clear-voiced, expressive, hooting/barking hoo hoo ho-ho, hoo hoo ho-hoooooaw ending with descending and rolling hoooooaw note. In chorus a tremendous variety of barking, cackling, and gurgling notes. Juveline begs with rising hiss ksssssshhip.

Also, as far as I can tell, the only owls in your region that do the "standard owl 'who'" are the Barred and Great Horned Owls.
posted by Johnny Assay at 12:15 PM on June 13, 2004

Response by poster: Yeah, I'm starting to think it's a Barred.
posted by abcde at 2:09 PM on June 13, 2004