Hearing a deep, resonant call echo through the trees often leads people to believe an owl is nearby. This common misidentification arises because the term “owl sound” represents a wide range of vocalizations, including the classic hoot, but also screeches, trills, and barks, which vary significantly between species. Many non-owl species produce sounds that mimic the deep, rhythmic quality listeners associate with the nocturnal raptor. Distinguishing these sounds depends on understanding the acoustic properties and the time of day the call occurs.
Defining the Sound: Why the Confusion?
The human ear frequently associates an “owl sound” with qualities like a low frequency, a resonant tone, and a repetitive, patterned structure. This deep, muffled quality of sound carries well over long distances, which is characteristic of many large bird calls.
Factors in the environment can further distort a bird’s actual vocalization, contributing to the confusion. Distance, echoing from landscape features, and dense foliage can filter out higher-pitched elements of a call, making almost any deep, rhythmic sound appear to be a classic owl hoot. This acoustic simplification means that a variety of species, from small doves to large herons, can trick a listener.
Common Daytime Lookalikes
The most frequent source of daytime “owl” confusion is the ubiquitous Mourning Dove, a primarily diurnal species. The dove’s soft, drawn-out cooing vocalization, often transcribed as “coo-OO, coo, coo, coo,” is easily mistaken for the gentle hooting of a small owl, especially from a distance. This common backyard bird uses its call for territorial advertisement and attracting a mate, producing a melancholic, wavering sound that resembles rhythmic hoots.
Another diurnal bird that contributes to mistaken identity is the Steller’s Jay, a species known for its wide vocal repertoire and mimicry skills. These birds can produce a variety of sounds, including soft, low hoots that mimic owls. Rock Pigeons also make a soft, wavering “hoo-hoo” sound, particularly around dawn or dusk when they are heading to or leaving their roosts, which can be confused with a quiet owl hoot. The time of day is a strong clue, as a persistent, low hoot during bright daylight hours is much more likely to be a dove or pigeon than a nocturnal owl.
Nocturnal Non-Owls
Numerous non-owl species are active at night or during twilight hours and produce calls commonly attributed to nocturnal raptors. The Common Nighthawk, a member of the nightjar family, is frequently heard at dusk and dawn. They produce a nasal, buzzing call, often described as a “peent,” which some listeners mistake for a high-pitched owl call. The male Nighthawk also creates a distinctive, deep, booming sound with his wings during a courtship dive, as air rushes over his wingtips.
The American Bittern, a heron species, is another source of confusion with its powerful vocalization. This marsh bird makes a deep, resonant, three-syllable call, often described as “pump-er-lunk,” by inflating its esophagus. This low-frequency, booming sound carries over long distances across the wetlands and is sometimes heard near dawn or dusk, leading people to believe a large, deep-hooting owl is nearby. Other nightjars, such as the Chuck-Will’s-Widow, produce a loud, repetitive call that has a distinct rhythm that can be mistaken for an owl’s territorial vocalization in the dark.