8 April 2015

Loud screaming noise in Torrens at night?

| Canfan
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A reader has submitted the following question about strange noises in Torrens:

We have recently moved to Torrens (backing Mt Taylor) and have heard on a number of occasions a loud screaming sound – one ‘scream’ at a time -in the middle of the night. It is first heard at a distance, gets closer and then passes. It is very loud and unnerving. Is it an owl flying by? We would all love to know what it is, especially our dog!

Over to you…

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MrBigEars said :

switch said :

dungfungus said :

That is a Barking Owl, for certain.

Same as the one on Midsomer Murders?

Same as this one? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBpZTo1dlPM (0:31s)

Unless I heard and saw this, I wouldn’t have believed it. It is very credible.
I am wondering if perhaps the fox, which is a nocturnal predator, has learned to mimic the barking owl which of course is also nocturnal.
I now read elsewhere that foxes can mate with some domestic dogs. I recently acquired a rescue pup which the RSPCA told me was a cross between a “red cattle dog and an Airdale terrier” ha ha.
She looks like a fox and from some of the youtube videos about domesticated foxes I think my adorable little girl maybe related to a fox.

switch said :

dungfungus said :

That is a Barking Owl, for certain.

Same as the one on Midsomer Murders?

Same as this one? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBpZTo1dlPM (0:31s)

dungfungus said :

That is a Barking Owl, for certain.

Same as the one on Midsomer Murders?

Grail said :

Vixen screaming? Check about 00:40 in this video

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=J6NuhlibHsM

That is a Barking Owl, for certain.

neanderthalsis11:56 am 03 Feb 15

A banshee?

Give Tim the Yowie Man a call…

Maybe barking owl screams, or maybe even Bush Stone Curlew(lucky!). Or maybe a fox

Probably a Barking Owl AKA Screaming Woman Owl. They are everywhere in Canberra.
http://pluck.abc.net.au/ver1.0/Content/Videos/Store/Main/3/12/67903383-cf7b-400e-a2c5-e6ed7faa3e8c.mp3

My first guess would be a fox. But are you saying it is flying? Other (very unlikely) possibilities are Powerful Owl and Yellow-bellied Glider.

Vixen screaming? Check about 00:40 in this video

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=J6NuhlibHsM

Raging Tempest11:07 am 03 Feb 15

I have geckos under my deck but I’ve never known them to scream… Drunks staggering home from Mawson?

Alexandra Craig10:29 am 03 Feb 15

I don’t think Canberra has geckos, otherwise I’d suggest them – they scream haha.

Is it like a growling sound at all? Could be possums.

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