Bird ID

[Dangerous Dan]

I feel a bit foolish for asking but there's been a bird bugging me at my usual hammock site over the course of the year and I have no idea what it is.

The call is best described as a child-like mow, mow, mow sound - mow as in how not low, say it out loud if it helps. At first I thought it was kids but given the location and times I've heard it I'm fairly confident I've eliminated that option.

I've never seen the culprit, but I did hear it once and saw a couple of rook-like birds looking a bit sheepish. I got the impression they were sharing a joke at my expense.

I know it's not a lot to go on but any suggestions welcome.

Update: Sound file added
Odd_Bird.mp3

 

[HeltorChasca]

Jackdaw...? http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/j/jackdaw/

Green Woodpecker...? (Think the Victorians nick-named it a yaffler because of it's laugh-like call) http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/g/greenwoodpecker/index.aspx

Good luck............hc

 

[pwb]

Or could the rook like birds maybe be Ravens.
Never seen or heard one myself yet .

Pete.

 

[Night Phoenix]

Is it through the day or at night you are hearing this?
THe rspb website is quite good for identifying birds by their calls.
Oh and Puub if you like Ravens you should head up this way, there are plenty of them around, mysterious birds....

 

[Dangerous Dan]

It's by day, pretty much throughout the day and always up in the trees. The rook-like birds were only seen on one of many occassions so may be a red-herring.

Jackdaw's have quite a harsh call, the raven even harsher. The Green Woodpecker is fairly unmistakable with it's screechy 'laugh'.

I'll trawl through the RSPB site but for anyone else up for a challenge the sound was of similar volume to that of a cuckoo but with three 'mows' in the space of the cuckoo's hoo hoo.

Sheesh, now I know I've lost it, I'm wondering if I'm dealing with a mimic?

 

[Opal]

Hooded crow?

 

[Dangerous Dan]

Nope, definitely nothing like any of the crow family, again way too harsh. Imagine an eight year old actually saying the phrase. It's disturbingly similar.

I can see me having to embarrass myself further with a voice recording

 

[Night Phoenix]

If you do do a recording feel free to send it over my way
I can ask folk at the WWT for you if you want

 

[HeltorChasca]

Peacocks? Any escapees round you?

http://soundbible.com/1301-Peacock-Call.html

Either that or there's a young cow on the loose with an accent................hc

 

[Bushwhacker]

I reckon that sounds like a Jay to me - alarm call.
It would also explain for never seeing it, you always hear them but rarely see them.

Google the call of a Jay and see if it's the same.

 

[Dangerous Dan]

Definitely not peacock, I have seen a couple of Jays in the past but their call is very different.

I realise it's a bit unfair to ask someone to identify based on phonetics so...

DD Studios is proud to present their debut hit single

<Drumroll please>

Odd_Bird.mp3

Any suggestions gratefully received

 

[Cyclingrelf]

That's classic! I've no idea what it is, but loved it I'll see if my mother knows...brb

 

[Cyclingrelf]

Ok, she doesn't know either, sorry! Do any of the bird sites have forums you could post it on?

 

[locum76]

whats the habitat like at your hammock site?

 

[_scorpio_]

a 8 year old who liked to mimic his cat and mow at his african grey which escaped???
maybe sit quietly and put some seeds on the floor and see what comes?

 

[Dangerous Dan]

whats the habitat like at your hammock site?

North facing wooded hillside here in South Yorkshire, mostly birch, oak and the occasional sycamore. No nearby water or dwellings.

a 8 year old who liked to mimic his cat and mow at his african grey which escaped???
maybe sit quietly and put some seeds on the floor and see what comes?

Unless the 8 year old is happy to spend two days up in the canopy, probably not. The seed's a good idea though, certainly worth a go. The other (slightly less helpful) suggestion I was given was to stick an aerosol can on the fire and see what takes flight when it explodes

Part of me says let it go but I've never heard anything like it before, not knowing is driving me to distraction

 

[Barn Owl]

I have never heard that sound in the wild.

Doesn't sound like the vocalisations of any of our native birds more like the sounds of exotic spp.

No idea at all.

 

[Adze]

I wonder if you've heard a hoopoe?

Top left of the following link there's a 'Play' button to hear the call.
http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/h/hoopoe/index.aspx

Seriously long way off course if it is though.

 

[Barn Owl]

I wonder if you've heard a hoopoe?

Top left of the following link there's a 'Play' button to hear the call.
http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/h/hoopoe/index.aspx

Seriously long way off course if it is though.

That's an idea Adam.
I've never seen or heard one over here yet.

 

[Dangerous Dan]

I wonder if you've heard a hoopoe?

Top left of the following link there's a 'Play' button to hear the call.
http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/h/hoopoe/index.aspx

Seriously long way off course if it is though.

Thanks Adam, I've trawled the RSPB site from A-Z and the hoopoe was on the short-list although the location and call just didn't fit.

It is entirely possible we are dealing with a juvenile, distress or mating call. I just don't know. I'll keep hunting and let you all know if I find anything.