Raccoons are highly adaptable animals often found in diverse environments, including urban areas. These nocturnal creatures are known for their varied vocalizations, which play a significant role in their daily lives and interactions. Understanding the range of sounds raccoons produce offers insight into their communication and behavior.
Common Raccoon Vocalizations
Raccoons use a broad spectrum of sounds to communicate.
Chittering often sounds like a rapid series of clicks or chirps.
Growls are low, rumbling noises, similar to a dog’s growl.
Hissing resembles a snake’s hiss; both are typically deep and guttural.
Purring is a softer sound, often described as similar to a cat’s purr.
Squealing involves high-pitched, loud cries.
Screeching is a loud, often alarming sound that can carry over distances.
Whimpering and mewing are softer, plaintive sounds.
Trilling, sometimes described as a “churr-churr” sound, is rhythmic.
Whistling is a high-pitched sound that can carry over considerable distances.
Raccoons may also bark, a sound that can resemble a dog’s bark.
Understanding Raccoon Communication
Raccoon vocalizations convey specific messages within their social structures.
Growls and hisses are signs of aggression or a warning, indicating a raccoon feels threatened or is defending its territory, often preceding defensive actions.
Chittering serves various purposes, including general communication among adults or as a way for mother raccoons to calm their young, and can also indicate curiosity or mild agitation.
Purring signifies contentment, often heard when raccoons are comfortable, feeding, or during interactions between mothers and their young.
Squealing and screeching frequently indicate distress, fear, or pain, and these loud sounds can also occur during aggressive encounters or as mating calls during the breeding season.
Whimpering and mewing are common among kits, signaling hunger, fear, or a desire for attention from their mother.
Trilling sounds are often used by mother raccoons to comfort their offspring, and kits respond with similar sounds of contentment.
Whistling can act as an alarm, warning other raccoons of potential danger, or as a way for a mother to locate her young.
Barking can signal excitement, stress, or agitation, and mother raccoons may bark to call their missing kits.
Identifying Raccoon Sounds
Raccoons are primarily nocturnal, so their vocalizations are most frequently heard at night. Sounds like rustling, scurrying, or thumping in areas like attics, chimneys, or under decks can indicate their presence. Distinguishing raccoon sounds from other animals can be challenging as some vocalizations resemble those of cats, squirrels, or opossums. While vocalizations offer clues, other signs such as tracks or physical damage can provide additional confirmation of a raccoon’s presence.