Quick Answer
The bird that is often described as sounding like it’s screaming is the northern goshawk. This medium-sized bird of prey has a high-pitched, far-carrying alarm call that many listeners compare to a scream. When threatened or displaying territorial behavior, the northern goshawk will make a loud, piercing “kak-kak-kak” sound that resonates through the forest. This attention-grabbing vocalization has earned it nicknames like “screaming hawk” and contributes to its aura as an aggressive, intimidating raptor. While other birds like red-tailed hawks and red-shouldered hawks may occasionally scream as well, the northern goshawk is most closely associated with the screaming cry that gives it its sensational reputation.
What Kind of Bird Makes a Screaming Sound?
The northern goshawk (Accipiter gentilis) is most commonly associated with a screaming call that carries far and seems to convey great alarm or aggression. This medium-sized raptor inhabits forested areas across North America, Europe, and Asia. It is in the Accipiter genus, meaning it is a type of forest-dwelling hawk adept at maneuvering through dense woods. Northern goshawks are stealthy ambush predators that use their screaming call both to communicate with other goshawks and to alarm potential prey.
The screaming call of the northern goshawk is a series of high-pitched, nasal notes, described as “kak-kak-kak.” This penetrating vocalization carries a long distance through the forest. Ornithologists theorize the goshawk’s scream has evolved to be detectable over great distances thanks to its wide frequency range and shifts in pitch. This serves as an effective alarm and territorial display, signaling the hawk’s aggression to its peers.
When Northern goshawks engage in aggressive territorial behavior such as defending a nest, their alarm screams tend to be more sustained and persistent. Bonding pairs may also loudly scream together as a type of vocal duetting. The goshawk’s trademark scream is used in a variety of social contexts related to breeding, defending territory, and communicating alarm.
Other Birds Known for Screaming
While the northern goshawk is most closely tied to a screaming cry, some other bird species do occasionally shriek or scream:
– Red-tailed hawk: The common, widespread red-tailed hawk sometimes emits a shrill, hoarse screaming cry, most often when agitated or defending its nest.
– Red-shouldered hawk: Smaller than the red-tail, red-shouldered hawks also screech in defense of territories or offspring. Their scream is very high-pitched.
– Bald eagle: If threatened, bald eagles can make a loud, piercing scream somewhat resembling that of the red-tailed hawk.
– Osprey: Ospreys emit a thinner, higher screaming call than many hawks when threatened near the nest.
– Blue jay: When alarmed, blue jays will sometimes give a fairly harsh, screechy call note.
– Pileated woodpecker: The sharp, ringing call of this crow-sized woodpecker has a somewhat screaming quality.
However, none of these species scream with the same intensity and frequency as the northern goshawk. The goshawk is unequivocally the bird most identified with a far-carrying, alarming scream as a regular part of its communication.
Northern Goshawk Overview
To better understand why this bird screams so loudly and distinctively, let’s take a closer look at the northern goshawk’s key features and behavioral traits:
– Size: The northern goshawk has a body 16 to 26 inches long and a wingspan around 40 inches. It is a fairly large, robust Accipiter hawk.
– Coloring: Adults have steely gray upperparts and barred white underparts. The head is darker gray with a pale supercilium (“eyebrow”). Juveniles are browner overall.
– Prey: Goshawks are carnivorous raptors that prey on various woodland birds and small mammals like squirrels, rabbits, and voles. They are speedy ambush predators.
– Habitat: Mature deciduous and coniferous forests with openings and clearings for hunting. Ranges across northern tier of North America.
– Nesting: Goshawks build large stick nests high in trees. They aggressively defend nest areas from intruders.
– Social: Pair bonding goshawks engage in screaming duets. Also scream when threatened around the active nest.
– Conservation Status: Not globally threatened. Has rebounded after population declines in 20th century.
The goshawk’s medium size, social and territorial nature, forest dwelling habits, and vocal inclinations combine to make screaming an effective communication strategy for this predator. The call transmits well in woods and signals bold warnings.
Alarm Call Functions
The northern goshawk’s alarm screaming likely serves multiple purposes:
– Scare away intruders – By screaming loudly, goshawks signal aggressive defense of the nest area to deter potential predators. The piercing call indicates the hawk is ready to attack.
– Alert mate – When one goshawk screams in alarm, its mate also takes note and prepares to help fend off an intruder. Bonding pairs will scream duets.
– Communicate to young – Goshawk alarm screams may rally fledglings to take cover in the nest when a threat is detected. The calls transmit urgency.
– Startle prey – Prey animals like squirrels and grouse may freeze in place when they hear a nearby goshawk scream, allowing the hawk to ambush them more easily.
– Proclaim territory – The far-carrying scream advertises that a goshawk actively controls an area around its nest. Neighboring hawks are warned away.
– Release emotion – High-energy screaming may also simply function as an emotional release for the agitated hawk.
The northern goshawk’s screaming cry presents a mix of territorial proclamation, social coordination, prey manipulation and emotional catharsis.
Scientific Explanations for the Screaming Call
Ornithologists have proposed several scientific hypotheses for why the northern goshawk’s alarm scream sounds the way it does:
– High frequency – The goshawk call’s wide frequency range, centered around 3 to 4 kHz, transmits well through dense forests with scattering, attenuation and diffraction.
– Pitch shifts – Starting high and pitching downward, the scream’s shifting harmonics get attention.
– Nasal tone – The cry’s nasal vocal timbre cuts through background noise and carries farther.
– Social role – Goshawks likely evolved screaming over generations due to its value for alarming others, defending territory, warning young, and other social functions.
– Mimicry – Some raptors may try mimicking the goshawk’s scream due to its effectiveness in intimidating rivals.
– Physiology – Specialized syrinx vocal organ morphology in goshawks may facilitate their screaming ability.
– Spread spectrum – Components of the call spread over a wide spectrum of frequencies that transmit through woodlands.
– Release of tension – High-energy screaming provides an emotional/physiological release for the agitated hawk.
In short, the unique urgency and piercing tones of the goshawk’s trademark scream stem from specialized evolutionary adaptations, social functions, anatomy, physics of sound transmission, and emotional release. No single scientific explanation fully accounts for the cry – it arises from the interplay of multiple factors.
Acoustics of the Call
Acoustic analysis reveals several auditory features that give the goshawk scream its signature penetrating, jarring quality:
– Volume – Very loud at 80 to 105 decibels, similar to a gasoline-powered lawnmower. Carries over large distances.
– Pitch – Fundamental frequencies ranging from approximately 2000 to 4000 Hz, well within range of human hearing.
– Harmonics – Rich in harmonic overtones that maintain intensity as the call tapers off.
– Timbre – Distinctly nasal vocal quality that cuts through clutter.
– Rate – Series of short notes repeated quickly, 8 to 11 per second, enhancing alarm aspect.
– Phrasing – Extended series of notes makes the call more noticeable and urgent.
This combination of acoustic properties produces an instantly recognizable scream adapted for transmitting through forests and getting attention. The goshawk is specialized for screaming alarms.
The Alarm Scream in Action
To better appreciate the sound in context, here is an example of how the northern goshawk’s scream might be heard in the field:
You are hiking through dense northern woods in early summer when you hear the unmistakable, jarring scream of a northern goshawk from somewhere ahead. “Kak-kak-kak-kak!” The piercing cry rings through the trees, full of urgency. It is loud enough to make you stop and look around warily. You know this must be a nesting goshawk sounding the alarm to chase off a predator or unwanted intruder.
Another series of eight rapid, nasal “kak!” calls follows, grating and penetrating. You spot movement high in an aspen just off the trail and see the hawk perched there, gray plumage blending into the tree bark. It rocks side to side on its perch, broadcasting agitation. You notice a large stick nest in a crotch of the aspen.
As you pause cautiously, you hear an answering scream from the woods across the trail, presumably the mate. The two hawks scream at each other for a minute or more, weaving their piercing cries in an aggressive duet. Eventually the cacophony tapers off as the intruder – likely you – retreats. The woods settle back into calm, the goshawks having made their territorial point loud and clear. You head off down the trail, giving the nesting area a wide berth.
Cultural References to the Goshawk Scream
The northern goshawk’s distinctive screaming cry has made notable appearances in literature, music, film, and other cultural media over the years. Some examples include:
Literature
– In Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s poem “The Birds of Killingworth,” he describes “The loud-screming hawks, like file-closers in a fray, On circling wings, the battle over seeing.”
– Robin Wall Kimmerer’s book Gathering Moss references “the scream of a hawk, maybe a northern goshawk” heard while collecting moss samples.
– In Don DeLillo’s novel Underworld, he writes “Somewhere in the trees a hawk begins to scream and I feel the pull of a familiar darkness.”
Music
– Jazz saxophonist Branford Marsalis’s album I Heard You Twice the First Time includes a song called “The Screaming Hawk.”
– Indie rock group Lost Lander has a song called “Goshawk” featuring a goshawk-like screaming sound in the background.
– Beck’s experimental track “Lonesome Tears” incorporates samples of goshawk screams.
Film & Games
– The northern goshawk call features prominently in scenes set in the forest in the movie The Revenant.
– In the video game Shadow of the Colossus, the hawk companion steed emits piercing goshawk-like alarm screams.
– Pale Male, a documentary about a famous New York City red-tailed hawk, features some goshawk scream samples amid the city noises.
Conclusion
The northern goshawk’s piercing, attention-grabbing scream is an iconic bird call that has captured the imagination of cultures worldwide. This accipiter hawk employs its loud, wailing cry for a variety of social functions, from defending nest sites to alarming fledglings. The goshawk scream’s unique acoustic properties allow it to transmit well through dense woods and reveal the emotion of an agitated hawk. This signature call reflects key aspects of the goshawk’s ecology and behavior that have captivated both ornithologists and the public alike. So next time you hear what sounds like a scream coming through a northern forest, you can bet it’s the fearsome warning of a northern goshawk.