Birds make a variety of sounds, some pleasant and musical, others harsh and grating. But one bird call in particular sounds eerily similar to a screaming woman. This bizarre and unsettling sound belongs to the Northern Bobwhite.
The Northern Bobwhite’s Call
The Northern Bobwhite is a small, plump bird found in fields and brush throughout much of the eastern and central United States. The male bobwhite vocalizes with a loud, clear whistled call consisting of two notes: “bob-WHITE!” This call carries for a long distance and serves to mark the bobwhite’s territory and attract females during breeding season.
However, the female bobwhite has a very different call – a loud, shrieking “scream” that rises and falls in pitch. This piercing call can last for several seconds and sounds uncannily like a woman crying out in distress. Here is a sample of the female bobwhite’s scream call for reference:
[insert audio sample of bobwhite call]
This odd vocalization understandably shocks and alarms many first-time listeners. The screams have been variously described as eerie, disturbing, and bone-chilling. People hearing the call in the wilderness or farmlands at night have been known to call emergency services, believing that they have heard a human cry for help.
Why Do Female Bobwhites Scream?
So why would this modest little bird make such an unsettling sound? Female bobwhites actually scream for a very practical reason – to reassemble their coveys after the breeding season.
Bobwhites are highly social birds that live in large groups called coveys for most of the year. But in spring, these coveys break up as birds pair off to breed and nest. Once their chicks hatch in summer, the female bobwhite uses her screaming call to gather up her chicks and reconnect with the other females and young-of-the-year in the area. These newly reassembled coveys will then stick together through the fall and winter.
By screaming, the female bobwhite alerts her chicks to her location. The loud, carrying call also allows separated covey members to pinpoint each other’s whereabouts in the dense fields and brush. This helps the bobwhites come back together again after the breeding season and enjoy the protection of a large group through the colder months.
Other Birds with Human-Like Calls
The Northern Bobwhite isn’t the only bird to have evolved a human-like vocalization. Here are a few other examples of birds with disturbingly anthropomorphic calls:
Bird Species | Description of Call |
---|---|
Blue Jay | Makes a wailing scream that sounds like a human infant crying |
Ruffed Grouse | Drums its wings rapidly in flight, producing a thrumming sound like a heartbeat |
Whip-poor-will | Song sounds like it is loudly whistling “whip-poor-will!” |
Killdeer | Utters a shrill, piercing “kill-deer!” cry |
These vocalizations may have developed to mimic animal sounds and warn predators, or they may simply be an eerie coincidence. But whatever their purpose, birds like the bobwhite remind us that the sounds of nature aren’t always so idyllic – sometimes, they echo our own voices in surprising and even unsettling ways.
Where to Hear the Bobwhite’s Cry
Northern Bobwhites range across the eastern half of the United States, from New Jersey to the Dakotas in the north down to Florida and eastern Texas. They favor habitats like agricultural fields, meadows, scrubby areas, and open woodlands. Here are a few locations where birders may be able to detect the bobwhite’s infamous scream:
- Cranberry Glades Botanical Area in West Virginia
- Brushy Creek State Recreation Area in Iowa
- Quivira National Wildlife Refuge in Kansas
- Red Hills Region of Florida and Georgia
- Oak Woods Nature Preserve in Illinois
- Hickory Corners State Game Area in Michigan
However, bobwhite numbers have been declining across their range over the last few decades due to habitat loss and degradation. Take advantage of opportunities to hear this unique bird sound before populations diminish further.
The best times to hear the female bobwhite’s scream call are during the height of breeding season from May-July and again in early fall when coveys are reforming. Early mornings and evenings tend to be the most vocal periods. Track down this elusive species by listening for its hysterical shrieking in areas of suitable habitat.
Conclusion
The Northern Bobwhite’s scream call is an excellent example of how bird vocalizations sometimes mimic human sounds. While we can only speculate about how these eerie similarities developed, it remains a fascinating ornithological phenomenon. This quail’s cries never fail to give birders and outdoor enthusiasts pause. So next time you’re out hiking or farming and hear a shrill scream, don’t panic – it may just be a female bobwhite gathering her covey!