The hadida bird, also known as the hadada ibis or hadeda ibis, has a very distinct and recognizable call. This large, grey-and-black bird is found throughout sub-Saharan Africa and is known for its loud, repetitive call that has been described as sounding like “ha-ha-haaa-de-dah.”
The Call of the Hadida
The hadida’s call is often transcribed as “ha-haa-haaa-ha-de-dah” or “ha-da-da-da.” It is loud, carrying for long distances, and often delivered rapidly three or four times in succession by the bird. The call is described as sounding hoarse, nasal, and somewhat metallic. It is made by both sexes and is often given in flight as well as from a perch. The hadida will call throughout the day but especially at dusk and dawn.
This very distinct vocalization serves several purposes for the hadida bird. It is used to defend territory, attract mates, and maintain contact with a mate or with a flock. The call can communicate different messages depending on context – an excited series of calls may indicate alarm, while a slower, more deliberate repetition marks a threat display. Whatever the exact meaning, there is no mistaking the unique sound of the calling hadida.
Call Characteristics
There are several characteristics that make the hadida call so identifiable:
- Loud volume capable of carrying over long distances
- Harsh, hoarse, nasal, metallic tone quality
- Repetitive series of notes transcribed as “ha-haa-haaa-ha-de-dah”
- Each series lasts 2-4 seconds and is repeated multiple times
- Frequently given in flight as well as from perches
- Used for territorial defense, attracting mates, and flock communication
- Given throughout the day, but especially at dawn and dusk
These unique vocal characteristics, combined with the visual identification of a medium-large, grey and black ibis in flight, make the hadida one of the most recognizable bird species in Africa based on call alone.
Variations and Dialects
While the hadida call is distinctive throughout its wide range, there are some subtle regional variations and dialects. In parts of West Africa, the call is lower pitched and drawn out, sounding more like “ha-haaah-haaah.” In East Africa, the “ha” syllables are more clipped and staccato. However, the overall quality and repetition of the call remains clearly identifiable as a hadida in all populations.
There may also be differences between the male and female call, with males having a slightly more nasal, drawn out “haaa” syllable. Juvenile birds may start with a shorter, softer version of the adult call until they mature and are able to project the full vocalization over longer distances.
Regardless of these minor variations, the species maintains its iconic vocalizations across its range. From the grasslands of South Africa to the Sahel region of West Africa, anyone who hears the “ha-haa-haaa-ha-de-dah” resounding knows the hadida is near.
When and Why Hadidas Call
Hadidas vocalize throughout the day but are most vocally active at dawn and dusk. Their loud calls carry well in the low light conditions. The early morning and evening chorusing serves to strengthen pair bonds, delineate territories, and bring scattered flock members together to communal roosts for the night.
During the middle of the day, hadidas may call to communicate with their mate or other flock members as they disperse to forage. Alarm calls warning of a potential predator may also punctuate the daytime hours. Inflight calls maintain contact and coordinate flock movements from one feeding site to another.
Vocal activity increases again in late afternoon as the time to return to the evening roost approaches. The chorusing calls reconnect flock members and bring pairs together. Squabbles over prime roosting spots are accompanied by aggressive vocalizations until the hierarchy is established for the night. Finally, just before dark, the colony settles down and quiet descends, only to be broken again by the dawn chorus starting the cycle again the next day.
Territorial Defense
The hadida’s loud, repetitive call broadcasts a territorial warning challenging potential intruders. Long bouts of calling, sometimes performed as a duet by the resident pair, reinforce the occupants’ claim on a territory. Adjacent pairs may counter-call in a cacophonous competition to assert their domain. Highly territorial disputes are marked by visual threat displays including spreading wings and showing off distinctive feather crests.
Attracting a Mate
In addition to defending a territory already established, the hadida’s call also functions to attract potential mates. Unpaired males will sing loudly and persistently to court females in the area. The repetitive vocal performance demonstrates the male’s strength and suitability as a mate. A female hadida listening to prospective partners may judge the vigor and stamina evidenced by lengthy calling bouts.
Flock Communication
The hadida is highly gregarious outside the breeding season when it forms large nomadic flocks. The constant contact calls facilitate flock cohesion as the birds disperse to forage then reassemble to move to new feeding areas. Each bird can keep tabs on flock mates near and far by the audible calls mapping locations. Vocal monitoring allows coordinated movements as a flock while minimizing vulnerability to predators.
Mimicry by Other Species
The hadida’s far-carrying, distinctive call makes it prone to mimicry by other bird species. The most frequent imitators include other ibises, such as the sacred ibis, as well as some starlings and weavers. These species copy the call both for flock communication and in aggressive territory disputes. Calls of other species may even be incorporated into the mimicry.
Some reasons mimicry is advantageous include:
- Bolstering territorial warnings
- Maintaining flock contact
- Confusing predators
- Exploiting the recognizable hadida call
However, mimetic species lack the full vocal repertoire and consistency of the hadida call over time. Careful observation will reveal the difference between theHadida authentically vocalizing and another species’ imitation.
Cultural Significance
The hadida’s cry carries strongly in the African landscape, making the bird culturally significant across its range. Its calls at dawn and dusk punctuate everyday routines and mark the passage of time. In rural areas, the hadida’s morning whooping may signal the start of the day’s activities or a reminder to rise and prepare for the work ahead.
To the Bantu people of Southern Africa, the hadida’s call signifies rain and the bird is respected as a rain prophet. The Tswana people interpret the doubling of the call as portending either joyful or grievous news. Hadidas near homes are fed offerings of millet in exchange for their protective presence.
Across tribes and cultures, the hadida’s unrelenting calls take on symbolic meaning, carrying messages understood by local communities. The birds communicate far more than just territorial claims within their species. Their vocalizations connect with humans’ lives too in a profound cultural conversation.
Conclusion
The hadida bird’s loud, distinctive call plays an integral social role in communication, territoriality, and mating within the species. Its repetitive “ha-haa-haaa-ha-de-dah” carries for long distances and is hard to mistake for any other bird. Regional dialects exist across the hadida’s African range but the core elements of the cry remain stable. Other species mimic the call to exploit the benefits it brings through recognition. For many cultures, the hadida’s cry signals rain or punctuates daily rhythms, granting it a unique place in local heritage. The hadida truly earned its common name – the “noise bird.” Its ringing vocalizations show just how much information can be encoded within a species’ signature sound.