The Tasmanian Devil (Sarcophilus harrisii) earned its common name from the terrifying sounds early European settlers heard emanating from the Australian bush at night. These loud, unsettling noises led them to believe they were encountering demons, cementing the animal’s reputation for aggression and noise. Though the devil is only about the size of a small dog, its vocalizations are surprisingly powerful and diverse, playing a central role in its social life. The repertoire of sounds is designed to communicate everything from mild irritation to full-blown dominance. The volume and range of its calls define the auditory experience of this unique marsupial.
Catalog of Devil Vocalizations
The Tasmanian Devil possesses a complex vocal dictionary, utilizing at least eleven distinct types of sounds. The most notorious is the high-pitched, raspy scream or shriek, often described as blood-curdling. This vocalization is long in duration and has a harsh, grating acoustic texture that carries exceptionally well through the nocturnal environment.
The devil also produces guttural, low-frequency growls and snarls. These deep, throaty sounds serve as an immediate acoustic threat display that precedes physical confrontation.
For less intense communication, the animal uses short, abrupt sounds like warning coughs, hisses, and snorts. These sounds are quick and percussive, signaling agitation or mild displeasure without escalating conflict. The devil’s repertoire also includes gentle, soft clucking or grunting calls used in peaceful, close-range social interactions.
Context and Meaning of Specific Sounds
The infamous, full-throated screams and shrieks are primarily used during high-stakes social interactions, especially when multiple devils converge on a large food source. These chaotic, loud vocalizations are a form of acoustic posturing, where the noise and apparent ferocity help to establish a temporary dominance hierarchy over a carcass. These intense sounds are also heard during mating confrontations, which are often aggressive displays between males vying for a female.
The guttural growls and snarls serve as a direct, close-range threat display, functioning as a final warning before a physical strike. A devil uses this acoustic signal to assert dominance or to defend food in its immediate vicinity.
Milder sounds, such as coughs, hisses, and snorts, are used as defensive warnings. This allows a devil to signal a threat without the immediate need for a fight, avoiding unnecessary conflict in a highly competitive social setting. Soft grunts and clucking sounds are reserved for maintaining social harmony, such as when devils are feeding peacefully or in mother-infant communication near the den.
The Volume and Intensity of Devil Sounds
The Tasmanian Devil’s reputation as an exceptionally noisy creature stems from the sheer acoustic power it generates relative to its body size. Despite weighing only up to 26 pounds, its aggressive vocalizations are disproportionately loud and can travel over significant distances in the dense Tasmanian bush. This intense sound production is a highly effective, non-physical strategy for resource defense.
The louder the scream a devil produces, the higher its chance of intimidating competitors and gaining access to a carcass without a fight. This acoustic intensity is amplified because most vocalizations occur under the cover of darkness, making the sudden, harsh sounds unsettling. The nocturnal environment allows the powerful shriek to carry without the interference of daytime noise, contributing to the initial, fearsome impression that earned the species its name.