Bald eagles have a variety of vocalizations that they use to communicate different messages. Their calls can convey alarm, excitement, greeting, hunger, and more. Understanding the different bald eagle calls allows bird enthusiasts to better interpret the behaviors and interactions of these majestic birds.
Alarm Calls
One of the most common bald eagle vocalizations is the alarm call. This call is used to signal danger or threats in the area. The alarm call often sounds like a rapid, piercing shriek. It puts other eagles on alert and warns them to be cautious. Eagles may make alarm calls to signal:
- Approaching predators like coyotes or bears
- Human disturbance
- Approaching aircraft
- Other perceived threats
The alarm call can vary in intensity depending on the level of danger. A lower pitched, less urgent alarm call may be used for a relatively minor threat, while a very high-pitched and rapid alarm would signify an immediate, dire threat that requires action.
Begging Calls
Juvenile bald eagles will make loud, pleading calls when they are hungry and requesting food from a parent. These begging calls start out as loud chirps, cheeps, or squeals when the eaglet is very young. As the juveniles grow, the begging calls morph into a more drawn out, shrieking cry.
While begging calls are technically a type of alarm call to request food, they have a distinct sound. Begging calls tend to be more repetitive and drawn out as the hungry eaglets continuously plead for nourishment from the parents.
Response to Alarm Calls
When an adult bald eagle makes an alarm call, other eagles in the area will take notice and respond cautiously. If the threat is close by, neighboring eagles may fly away to escape danger. If the threat is further away, eagles may stand alert and scan the landscape while making their own, lower intensity alarm calls.
Parent eagles may also respond to the begging calls of their young when they are requesting food. Adults will take note of the loud calls and cries of their offspring and deliver food if possible. However, parents do not respond instantly to every begging call, as they teach their young patience and self-reliance.
Greeting Calls
Bald eagles have a variety of greeting calls that they direct towards their mates or offspring. These vocalizations help strengthen social bonds between breeding pairs and families.
Courtship Calls
One specific type of greeting call is made by breeding pairs engaging in their courtship display. These vocalizations are part of their aerial courtship ritual and help them reconnect and strengthen their pair bond.
The courtship calls are described as a series of loud yelps or barks made by the male eagle right before grabbing the talons of the female in mid-air. The female may also reciprocate with a similar call once they have grasped talons and begin falling earthward together.
Non-Vocal Greetings
Bald eagles also have non-vocal ways of acknowledging and greeting each other, especially their mates. Mated pairs will engage in bonding behaviors like mutual preening of feathers. They also perform dramatic greeting displays, flying towards each other and then cartwheeling together in mid-air.
TerritorialCalls
Bald eagles are highly territorial and use vocalizations to declare ownership and warn intruders away from their domain. Their territorial calls are often delivered as a series of loud, repetitive screams.
Perch Calls
Eagles defending a territory will sit atop a high perch and make a screeching call out across the landscape. These perch calls announce that the area below is occupied. If intruders continue to encroach, the territorial calls will escalate in intensity as a warning.
Flight Calls
Eagles may also make territorial screams in flight, swooping over the area to reinforce the message. In some cases, an eagle defending its territory may make a quick flight around the perimeter while emitting a stream of screams as a territorial display.
What Are the Most Common Bald Eagle Calls?
The most common vocalizations from bald eagles are:
- Alarm call – High-pitched, piercing shriek to signal danger
- Begging call – Loud, repetitive chirps or squawks from juveniles requesting food
- Greeting call – A barking or yelping sound directed at mates or offspring
- Territorial call – Loud, repetitive screams to warn away intruders
The alarm call and the begging call of juveniles tend to be the most frequent vocalizations. However, bald eagles have an extensive vocabulary of calls to communicate different messages.
When Are Bald Eagles Most Vocal?
Bald eagles can be vocal year-round, but some periods feature more calling than others:
- Breeding season – Increased territorial calls defending nest sites
- Nesting season – Frequent begging calls of eaglets to parents
- Fall dispersal of juveniles – Young eagles on the move make contact calls
- Winter months – Alarm calls in response to intruders at roosting sites
The breeding season, which may begin in late winter, produces more vocalizations like courtship displays and territorial calls around nest sites. In spring and summer, the constant begging calls of hungry eaglet chicks can be heard frequently at nests. Fall brings increased vocalizations as juveniles disperse and migrate while staying in contact with sibling cohorts.
Do Male and Female Bald Eagles Make Different Calls?
Male and female bald eagles are capable of making all the same standard vocalizations. However, there are some subtle differences between the calls that allow birds to distinguish between the sexes:
- Females often have a slightly higher-pitched and less resonant version of the standard calls
- Males typically produce lower-pitched calls that tend to be more raspy and less clear
- Juvenile eagles give higher-pitched alarm and begging calls than mature adults
To human ears, the differences between most male and female calls are difficult to discern without seeing the vocalizing bird or hearing calls from a mated pair in quick succession. But eagles can pick up on the nuances to identify gender and age.
What Does a Bald Eagle Screech Sound Like?
The signature loud, piercing calls of bald eagles have been described as screams, shrieks, yelps, and screeches. Here are some details on the screeching vocalizations of bald eagles:
- Sound is loud and high-pitched, almost like a scream
- Call lasts about a second in length
- Often described as a “kee-kee-kee-kee” or “kleek kikiki”
- Screeches are often repetitive, in a series
- Used in territorial displays, alarm calls, and juvenile begging
The bald eagle’s screech serves different purposes from territorial warnings to sounding alarms. It is a signature vocalization that is an important part of communication between eagles.
Do Bald Eagles Make a Sound Like a Seagull?
Some bald eagle calls share qualities with the sounds made by gulls. Here’s how bald eagle vocalizations can sound like seagull cries:
- High-pitched, piercing quality
- Somewhat nasal tone
- Series of short screams or shrieks
- Repeated vocalizations
However, there are also some key differences between bald eagle screams and seagull cries:
- Eagles use more repetitive series of single, short shrieks
- Gulls make more variable screams, wails, and squawks
- Eagle calls are louder and clearer than gull cries
- Seagulls make more chattering, guttural sounds
The bald eagle’s high-pitched, piercing screams certainly share some auditory qualities with the cries of gulls. However, their vocalizations are more limited in variability compared to the extensive range of calls common amongst gull species.
Conclusion
Bald eagles utilize a variety of vocalizations to communicate with each other. Their calls can convey alarm at threats, excitement during courtship, hunger, and territorial warnings. Understanding the context and meaning behind the various screeches, cries, and screams of these majestic birds provides insight into their behavior and social dynamics. Paying attention to the vocalizations of bald eagles adds an additional educational dimension to observing them in the wild.
Call Type | Description | Common Contexts |
---|---|---|
Alarm Call | High-pitched, piercing shriek | Threats nearby, hunger of young |
Greeting Call | Series of barks or yelps | Between mates and offspring |
Territorial Call | Loud, repetitive screams | Disputes over nest sites or food sources |