Examples of birds that make noise at night include American Robin, Barn Owl, Barred Owl, Black Rail, and Black-Crowned Night-Heron.
Do you ever hear strange noises outside your window at night? If so, you might be hearing one of the many birds that make noise at night. While some people find the sound of birds early in the morning or during the day pleasant, others find the sound of crows and other nocturnal birds to be irritating.
Whether you love it or hate it, there’s no denying that bird songs are a staple of summer. This blog post will explore some of the most common bird calls that can be heard in the evening and nighttime hours.
Examples of Birds that Make Noise at Night
1. American Robin
| Scientific Name | Turdus migratorius |
| Type of Animal | Bird |
| Range | almost anywhere south of Canada |
The American robin is a familiar sight in many backyards and gardens. This bird is also one of the most common birds that make noise at night. The male robin will sing a series of short, loud notes known as territorial calls. These calls can be heard day or night, but they are most common in the early morning hours.
Related Article: 12 Birds that Look Like Robins
2. Barn Owl
| Scientific Name | Tyto alba |
| Type of Animal | Bird |
| Range | North America, South America, Europe, Africa, India, Southeast Asia, and Australia |
The barn owl is a nocturnal bird that can be found in open fields and woods. These birds are characterized by their white, heart-shaped faces. Barn owls hunt for small mammals, such as mice and voles. When they fly, their wings make a distinctive sound that has been described as “ghostly.”
Related Article: Do Barn Owl Have Ears?
3. Barred Owl
| Scientific Name | Strix varia |
| Type of Animal | Bird |
| Range | southwestern Canada, Washington, Oregon, and northern California |
One of the most common nighttime bird sounds that people report hearing is the hooting of a barred owl. Barred owls are large, stocky owls with mottled brown and white plumage. They get their name from the horizontal stripes on their chest.
Barred owls are nocturnal predators and hunt primarily small mammals such as rodents and rabbits. They are also known to eat birds, reptiles, and amphibians.
While barred owls are found throughout the United States, they are most common in the eastern part of the country.
Related Article: Do Barred Owl Have Talons?
4. Black Rail
| Scientific Name | Laterallus jamaicensis |
| Type of Animal | Bird |
| Range | marshes and wet meadows across North America, including riparian marshes, coastal prairies, salt marshes, and impounded wetlands |
The Black Rail is one of the smallest birds in North America, and it is also one of the most secretive. This bird is mostly active at night, when it can be heard giving off a sharp, repetitive kik-kik-kik call. During the day, the Black Rail hides in dense vegetation, making it very difficult to see.
The Black Rail is found in salt marshes and other wetland habitats along the east coast of North America. This bird also occurs in some western states, as well as in parts of Central and South America.
5. Black-Crowned Night-Heron
| Scientific Name | Nycticorax nycticorax |
| Type of Animal | Bird |
| Range | North America |
The Black-crowned Night-Heron is a large bird that can be found in wooded areas near water. They are nocturnal birds that are most active at night. These birds make a croaking sound that has been described as sounding like a frog.
The Black-crowned Night-Heron is a grey bird with black on its head, neck and back. The underside of this bird is white. These birds have a wingspan of approximately four feet.
The Black-crowned Night-Heron is a wading bird that feeds on fish, crustaceans, frogs, and small mammals. These birds will also eat carrion. The Black-crowned Night-Heron will nest in colonies near water. These birds usually lay three to five eggs per clutch. The Black-crowned Night-Heron is not considered to be a threatened species and has a large range.
6. Common Loon
| Scientific Name | Gavia immer |
| Type of Animal | Bird |
| Range | Greenland, Iceland, and northern North America |
The Common Loon is a species of bird that is known for its eerie wail. The sound has been described as unearthly, haunting, and even otherworldly. It’s no wonder that this bird is often associated with ghosts and hauntings.
The Common Loon is a large bird, with a body length of up to four feet. It has a black head and back, with white underparts. Its wings are long and pointed, and its bill is curved. The Common Loon is an excellent swimmer and diver, and it is often seen on lakes and rivers.
7. Common Nightingale
| Scientific Name | Luscinia megarhynchos |
| Type of Animal | Bird |
| Range | forest and scrub in Europe and the Palearctic, and wintering in Sub-Saharan Africa |
The nightingale is a small songbird with a beautiful, clear voice. It’s one of the most common birds heard singing at night. The nightingale sings from dusk until dawn during the breeding season, which typically lasts from late April to early July. The bird is found in woodlands across Europe, Asia, and Africa.
The nightingale’s song is a series of beautiful flute-like notes that are sometimes compared to the sound of running water. The bird’s name comes from the Old English word for “nightingale,” which means “to sing at night.” The nightingale is a symbol of poetic inspiration, and its song has been featured in many works of literature and music.
8. Eastern Screech-Owl
| Scientific Name | Megascops asio |
| Type of Animal | Bird |
| Range | east of the Rocky Mountains to the Atlantic |
This owl is one of the most common nocturnal birds in North America. It is also one of the few owls that can be found in urban areas. The Eastern Screech-Owl has a distinctive call that sounds like someone whistling “too-wit, too-woo.”
Despite its small size, the Eastern Screech-Owl is a fierce predator. It will hunt anything from insects to mice. This owl is especially fond of eating moths. To find its prey, the Eastern Screech-Owl uses its excellent hearing. It can locate a mouse by the sound of its footsteps scurrying through the leaves.
The Eastern Screech-Owl is a cavity nester, which means it will make its home in a hole in a tree. The owl will line the nest with leaves and other soft materials. The female will lay two to six eggs in the nest.
9. Eastern Whip-poor-will
| Scientific Name | Antrostomus vociferus |
| Type of Animal | Bird |
| Range | eastern forests with open understories |
One of the most distinctive nighttime bird calls is that of the Eastern whip-poor-will. This bird gets its name from its call, which has been described as sounding like “whip-poor-will.” Whip-poor-wills can be found in forests throughout the eastern United States and Canada.
10. Eurasian nightjar
| Scientific Name | Caprimulgus europaeus |
| Type of Animal | Bird |
| Range | most of Europe and the Palearctic to Mongolia and Northwestern China |
The Eurasian nightjar is a nocturnal bird that can be found in Europe, Asia, and Africa. This bird is most active at dusk and dawn, but it can also be heard calling during the night. The Eurasian nightjar’s call is a distinctive “churring” noise that has been described as sounding like a saw being sharpened.
11. European Robin
| Scientific Name | Erithacus rubecula |
| Type of Animal | Bird |
| Range | most of Europe as well as North Africa and Central Asia |
The European robin is a small passerine bird that is native to Europe and Asia. The European robin has a reddish-orange breast and face, making it one of the most recognizable birds in Britain. The European robin can be found in gardens, parks, and woodlands. The European robin is an insectivore and will eat a variety of insects, including beetles, spiders, and caterpillars.
The European robin is one of the few birds that are known to sing at night. The European robin’s song is a series of short, flute-like notes that are often described as “liquid” or “melodic.”
12. Great Grey Owl
| Scientific Name | Strix nebulosa |
| Type of Animal | Bird |
| Range | the dense northern boreal forests across North America and Eurasia |
The great grey owl is one of the largest owls in the world, and it’s also one of the most vocal. These owls are known for their deep hoots, which can be heard for up to a mile away. If you hear a series of three or four hoots in quick succession, it’s likely that a great grey owl is nearby.
13. Great Horned Owl
| Scientific Name | Bubo virginianus |
| Type of Animal | Bird |
| Range | deserts, wetlands, forests, grasslands, backyards, cities, and almost any other semi-open habitat between the Arctic and the tropics |
The great horned owl is a large, nocturnal bird that is found in woods and forests. These birds are characterized by their black and white plumage, as well as their large, yellow eyes. Great horned owls hunt for small mammals, such as rabbits and squirrels. When they fly, their wings make a whooshing sound.
14. Great potoo
| Scientific Name | Nyctibius grandis |
| Type of Animal | Bird |
| Range | southern Mexico through northeastern Guatemala and through most of Central America down through South America as far as southeastern Brazil and Bolivia |
The great potoo is a nocturnal bird that can be found in Central and South America. This bird gets its name from its unique call, which sounds like a deep “pooo” followed by a long silence.
15. Great reed warbler
| Scientific Name | Acrocephalus arundinaceus |
| Type of Animal | Bird |
| Range | sub-Saharan Africa |
The Great reed warbler is a member of the songbird family and is known for its beautiful singing voice. This bird is found in Europe, Asia, and Africa, and it typically breeds near wetlands. The Great reed warbler’s song has been described as “piercing” and “eerie.”
Read Also: Do Canada Warbler Have Yellow Feathers?
16. Hermit Thrush
| Scientific Name | Catharus guttatus |
| Type of Animal | Bird |
| Range | North America and Central America |
One of the most common birds that sing at night is the hermit thrush. This bird is found in wooded areas across North America and is known for its beautiful, flute-like song. The hermit thrush typically sings from dusk until dawn during the breeding season.
17. Killdeer
| Scientific Name | Charadrius vociferus |
| Type of Animal | Bird |
| Range | Mexico and Central America |
The killdeer is a type of plover, and its distinctive “kill-dee” cry is one of the most commonly heard bird calls at night. The killdeer typically nests near bodies of water, so if you live near a lake or pond, you’re likely to hear this bird late at night.
18. Northern Mockingbird
| Scientific Name | Mimus polyglottos |
| Type of Animal | Bird |
| Range | the majority of the continental United States and in Canada and Mexico |
The northern mockingbird is one of the most common nocturnal birds in North America. This bird is known for its distinctive call, which has been described as sounding like a cat meowing.
19. Snowy Owl
| Scientific Name | Bubo scandiacus |
| Type of Animal | Bird |
| Range | the far north regions around the North Pole |
The Snowy Owl is a large, white owl that is found in the Arctic regions of North America and Europe. These owls are most active at night, and their haunting calls can often be heard in the nighttime hours.
20. Upland Sandpiper
| Scientific Name | Bartramia longicauda |
| Type of Animal | Bird |
| Range | nest in grasslands and are most numerous in native prairies in the Great Plains |
While this bird is more likely to be heard during the daytime hours, it is possible to hear its distinctive “peent” call at night.
21. Yellow-breasted Chat
| Scientific Name | Icteria virens |
| Type of Animal | Bird |
| Range | throughout the eastern United States and winters from Mexico south through Central America |
This bird is most active at dawn and dusk, so it’s likely that you’ll hear its distinctive warble during those times. The yellow-breasted chat is one of the few songbirds that sing at night, making it a special treat for bird enthusiasts who are up late.
Conclusion
Birds that make noise at night can be a source of mystery and intrigue for many people. These birds are often active when most people are asleep, and they can be heard calling or hooting in the darkness. While some of these noises may be familiar to people, others may be strange and unfamiliar. Each of these nighttime birds has its own unique call, and each species has a different reason for making noise at night.
Hi, I’m Garreth. Living in South Africa I’ve had the pleasure of seeing most of these animals up close and personal. When I was younger I always wanted to be a game ranger but unfortunately, life happens and now at least I get to write about them and tell you my experiences.