Damon Mcknight
Australia is home to a wide variety of wildlife, some of which are known for their eerie and blood-curdling calls. One such animal is the bush stone-curlew, a native nocturnal bird that is also known as the 'screaming woman bird'. Its high-pitched, drawn-out shrieks can be heard across the night as they try to contact each other. Another animal with a similar call is the barking owl, which is named for its harsh 'barking' call but can also make a much louder, wailing cry, akin to a woman screaming. The yellow-bellied glider, a species of possum, also has a loud, distinctive call that usually begins with a high-pitched shriek.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Common name | Bush stone-curlew, screaming woman bird |
| Scientific name | Burhinus grallarius |
| Habitat | Open forests, grasslands, mangroves, salt marshes |
| Behaviour | Nocturnal, ground-dwelling, territorial |
| Diet | N/A |
| Call | High-pitched, drawn-out shriek |
| Conservation status | N/A |
| Similar animals | Barking owl, yellow-bellied glider |
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What You'll Learn
The Bush Stone-Curlew bird, also known as the 'screaming woman bird'
The Bush Stone-Curlew bird, also known as the screaming woman bird, is a native Australian bird with a distinctive call that has been described as resembling a woman's scream. This nocturnal, ground-dwelling bird (Burhinus grallarius) makes its home in open forests, grasslands, mangroves, and salt marshes across Australia. Its call is high-pitched and drawn-out, and can be heard across the night as these birds try to contact each other. The eerie nature of this call has led to associations with death and suicide in some indigenous Australian cultures, and the bird is often featured in Dreamtime stories.
The courtship behaviours of the Bush Stone-Curlew bird are rarely observed, as they mate for life, with bonds lasting up to 30 years. However, it is believed that they perform a complex dance and call during courtship, which has been described as a "whistling concert" or a "glee-party". During breeding season, these birds become territorial and use their powerful cry to ward off competition.
The bird's call has been described as shrill and blood-curdling, making it a notable example of the strange behaviours and adaptations found in Australian wildlife. While it may be startling to hear, the Bush Stone-Curlew bird is a fascinating part of Australia's diverse ecosystem.
It is worth noting that other Australian birds, such as the Barking Owl and the Australasian Bittern, also have calls that have been likened to human screams. The Barking Owl, a medium-sized hawk-owl, has two main calls: a double-noted "wook-wook" and a waivering human-like scream. The Australasian Bittern produces an eerie sound during the breeding season, which can be unnerving to those unfamiliar with the bird.
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The Barking Owl, which has a wailing cry
The Barking Owl, also known as the 'screaming-woman bird', is a medium-sized hawk-owl native to Australia. It gets its name from its harsh, barking call but can also make a much louder, wailing cry. This distinct cry has earned it its nickname, as it sounds remarkably like a human-like scream.
The owl's call is not the only interesting thing about its behaviour. The Barking Owl is a nocturnal bird, hunting at night, but it may sometimes be seen hunting during the day. It is most commonly found in savannah woodland, but it also inhabits well-forested hills and riverine woodlands. The nest site is usually an open hollow in a tree trunk, loosely lined with sticks and other wood debris.
The female Barking Owl incubates the eggs, while the male hunts and provides food for the family. Young owls remain dependent on their parents for several months and will stay with the family group until the next breeding season approaches.
The appearance of the Barking Owl is also quite distinct. Adults are grey-brown with white spots on the wings and whitish underparts streaked with grey-brown. The head is almost entirely grey-brown, and the eyes are large and yellow. Young owls have less streaking on the underparts and are mottled white and grey-brown on the rear of the neck.
The Barking Owl is listed as Vulnerable in New South Wales, which means its population is declining and it is at risk of becoming endangered if no conservation action is taken.
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The Yellow-bellied Glider, a species of possum
The Yellow-bellied glider (Petaurus australis), also known as the fluffy glider, is a species of possum native to Australia. It is arboreal and nocturnal, living in native eucalypt forests in eastern Australia, from northern Queensland to Victoria. The yellow-bellied glider is among the least studied of its family. It is one of the largest gliding possums in Australia, as well as the loudest and the best glider.
The yellow-bellied glider is a very active and vocal marsupial species. It has a range of calls, including loud distinctive shrieks, soft moans, and gurgling chatters. Its growling call, in particular, can be heard from 500 meters away. This possum species is also territorial and aggressive towards intruders of the same species.
During the day, yellow-bellied gliders shelter in den trees, typically very large rose gums with hollows that can accommodate groups of families. They live in groups of 2 to 6 family members: one male with one or two females, along with their offspring. Each group has a home range of about 25 to 120 hectares. They may travel as far as one kilometer from their den to feed.
The yellow-bellied glider's diet consists of nectar, pollen, insects, and sap from eucalypts. They also feed on grubs and arachnids and possibly small vertebrates. This possum species is known to chew holes in eucalypt trees to extract sap, favoring trees with smooth barks.
The yellow-bellied glider is classified as uncommon to rare and vulnerable in the tropics. Its habitat is threatened by factors such as habitat loss and fragmentation due to timber harvesting and agriculture. Despite previously being listed as a species of "Least Concern," its numbers continue to decrease, and it is now considered near threatened on the IUCN Red List.
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The Australasian Bittern, which produces eerie sounds during breeding season
The Australasian bittern is a large, heavy-set, partially nocturnal heron with brown, buff, and black upper parts and brown and buff underparts. Its throat and eyebrow are pale, and its legs are greenish. Its average size is 71 cm, with a wingspan of up to one metre. This bird is a skilled hunter, employing a stalking method and taking advantage of its ability to swivel its eyes to survey its surroundings. It is also a master of disguise, freezing with its neck stretched up and its bill pointing skyward to blend in with its surroundings.
The Australasian bittern is found in coastal and sub-coastal areas of south-eastern and south-western mainland Australia, the eastern marshes of Tasmania, and throughout the Murray-Darling Basin. It frequents freshwater reed beds and areas dominated by sedges, rushes, and reeds. They are also known to inhabit brackish estuaries and Australian rice fields, which provide extensive habitat due to irrigation.
The Australasian bittern has a distinctive call described as an eerie 'boom' that can be heard up to four kilometres away. This call is primarily made by males during the breeding season, which spans from June or July to February. The booming serves to attract mates and defend their territory against other males. Outside of the breeding season, males rarely make any sound, with only the occasional nasal "kaw" being heard when they are flying.
The breeding season for Australasian bitterns usually occurs from October to February, but they may also breed during inland flooding. They build shallow nests within clumps of reeds in water or swamps, using dry or green reeds bent over to form a platform. The female silently incubates the eggs alone for about 25 days, after which the chicks remain in the nest for another seven weeks. During this time, the female also takes on the sole responsibility of feeding the chicks, leaving them unguarded while hunting for food.
The Australasian bittern is a cryptic and elusive bird, making it a challenging species to detect and study. Its population is declining due to habitat loss, wetland drainage, climate change, and agricultural expansion. Conservation efforts are becoming increasingly necessary to ensure the survival of this vulnerable species.
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The Barn Owl, which utters a harsh scream
The Barn Owl is a medium-sized bird, with females being slightly larger than males. They have sandy orange and light grey upper parts and white to cream underparts. Both the back and breast are evenly spotted with black. The heart-shaped structure of their facial disc is unique to this type of owl, and it helps them to channel sound waves towards their ears, enabling them to pinpoint prey even in complete darkness.
While they are widespread, Barn Owls are generally hard to see as they are mostly active at night. They roost on concealed tree branches during the day and hunt in flight, searching for prey on the ground. Their ability to locate prey using sound makes them efficient nocturnal hunters.
The Barn Owl is not the only Australian bird with a scream-like call. The Barking Owl, a medium-sized hawk-owl, has a distinctive wailing cry that has earned it the nickname "the screaming-woman bird". Similarly, the native Australian Bush Stone-Curlew is known for its shrill, high-pitched call, often compared to a woman's scream, giving rise to its moniker, "the screaming woman bird".
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Frequently asked questions
The Bush Stone-Curlew, also known as the 'screaming woman bird', is a native Australian bird with a high-pitched, drawn-out shriek.
Yes, the Barking Owl is an Australian owl species that can make a wailing cry, resembling the scream of a woman.
The Bush Stone-Curlew is a nocturnal bird that inhabits open forests, grasslands, mangroves, and salt marshes in Australia.
The Bush Stone-Curlew's eerie call is often associated with death and suicide in some indigenous Australian cultures. During breeding season, the bird becomes territorial and uses its powerful cry to ward off competition.
Yes, the Limpkin, found in Florida and parts of Central and South America, is known for its high-pitched wail or scream that resembles a human.
