While not all sounds in nature are sweet and pleasant, we often hear weird and unique noises from various animals. Some stand out exceptionally well with their peculiar vocalizations, whistling, or sounds produced by movements. When we hear most of these sounds for the first time, they tend to make us wonder.
Here are ten animals recognized for their unusual and bizarre noises.
10Walrus
They can even use a rubber toy as a musical instrument in the pool. The bell-like sounds they make below water do not come from their vocal cords but from air sacs in their pharynx. Some trained wild walruses can sing continuously for several days, and their complex vocalizations are even audible from up to 10 miles away.
9Cougar
Unlike lions and tigers, cougars cannot roar; instead, they make screaming or shrieking sounds. These sounds are often associated with their mating rituals; female cougars shriek to attract a mate, while male cougars scream or shriek to warn other males and establish their own territory.
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8Piranha
Among the various types of piranhas, the red-bellied piranha is the most aggressive, and they use bark-like sounds to warn and scare off other piranhas. A short, drum-like percussive sound is a sign of fighting over food and circling their opponent, while they make a softer croaking sound when snapping at each other.
7Koala
The Koala bear, or simply the Koala, is a plant-eating marsupial closely related to wombats. It has a stout, tailless body and usually inhabits coastal areas of southern and eastern Australia. Despite their adorable appearance, Koalas can make unusual sounds due to their extra vocal folds outside the larynx.
These folds help produce deep, low-pitched mating calls in male Koalas. They can also produce a wide range of other sounds, such as snarls, squeaks, and screams. The screaming call is a sign of agitation or feeling threatened, and female Koalas may use it to express their disapproval of male advances.
6Possum
Possums are a well-known marsupial in Australia but are also the loudest. The common brushtail possums are nocturnal animals that can thrive in natural or human-modified environments. They are easily recognizable by their loud, explosive, and aggressive noises, which can sound more like a monster than a marsupial.
These scary sounds can be unsettling to people who hear them for the first time. However, the ringtail possum is a much quieter species that communicates with other possums through a distinctive cry. These animals communicate similarly to humans but remain silent when hurt or in pain, an instinct for self-preservation that prevents predators from finding them.
5Porcupine
Their high-pitched vocalizations are similar to the cries of infants. Porcupines are intelligent animals and can even teach to talk. During mating season, they make sounds like squealing and screaming like a siren. The porcupines involved in fights often make clicking noises, sometimes called “battle chatter.”
4Stag
Stags make a loud grunting sound when angry, and while fighting, they clang their antlers together, creating a rattling noise. Finally, a snot wheeze is a more aggressive sound that stags use to intimidate rivals, while they make different sounds to express excitement, happiness, or boredom.
3Ostrich
Female ostriches, on the other hand, hiss with their beaks open. Baby ostriches make a trilling sound to call for their parents or other flock members. Overall, ostriches communicate through chirps and whistles, which helps them stay protected from predators and find mates easily.
2Cheetah
They chirp like birds, which is especially helpful for mothers and cubs to locate each other. During the mating season, male cheetahs make a unique sound that combines a purr and a rumbling stomach. Feeling threatened, they will crouch and emit moans, often followed by hissing sounds.
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1Great Blue Heron
During breeding season, the birds have the loudest vocalization and use a series of squawks to greet their partner when arriving at the nest. Any disruption can lead to a series of clucks and squawks lasting up to 20 seconds. When threatened, the birds scream for just over 2 seconds.