Subject: GHO calls
Date: Feb 26 09:06:29 2004
From: Cameron Cox - cameron_cox at hotmail.com



Martha and Tweeters,

While Barred Owls do tend to have a greater variety of calls than
Great-horned Owls, Great-horned do make several different calls. Male and
females have different calls, the male giving evenly spaced deep "HOO"
calls, while female are slightly higher pitched and give a single call then
a series of calls just as you described.

As for the unusual calls, young birds give a variety of strange calls for
the first full year of their lives. The most typical call sounds like a
Barn Owl call but not as strong or emphatic. I have also heard young
Great-horned give chattering type calls that are difficult to describe, but
probably sound more like a weird mammal than a bird of any kind.

My guess is that you have a breeding pair and a young bird from last that is
still hanging around. Enjoy them.

Cameron Cox
Seattle, WA (for one more day, then Cape May, NJ)
Cameron_cox at hotmail.com


>From: "martha burdick" <marthaburdick at hotmail.com>
>Reply-To: marthaburdick at hotmail.com
>To: tweeters at u.washington.edu
>Subject: GHO calls
>Date: Thu, 26 Feb 2004 05:30:41 -0800
>
>I've been hearing some GHO calls that fascinate and perplex me. I'm a
>novice, so trying to learn as I go, and hoping someone more experienced can
>shed some light on these calls. I'm on Whidbey Island, near Freeland.
>
>There's been what I've assumed is a single (male?) GHO near me for many
>months. But in recent months, especially the past one, I've been hearing
>more than one owl--sometimes it has sounded like as many as 3--and have
>been hearing more than the usual lone territorial call. (Maybe I'm hearing
>more because I'm listening more.)
>
>For example: the other night about midnight I heard a meow-like call (so
>cat-like that for a moment I thought maybe it was one) very near me. Same
>call a couple of times or so within the next few minutes, moving to maybe
>40 feet away. Then a strange short mix--rapid hooting, more "meow" sounds,
>and --strangest of all--rapid high-pitched trilling. Trilling probably
>isn't the best word, but it's the best one I can think of (maybe
>"chirping"). Then it was all over. I'm guessing this is mating/breeding?
>
>I've also been hearing another GHO making a Hoo call in the same pitch but
>different pattern than the familiar territorial call. (I've heard the
>differently-patterned call before, but could swear that at the time it was
>higher-pitched than the territorial call).
>
>I heard two birds making the differently-patterned, same-pitched calls last
>night, near dusk. Bird A gave the territorial call, and was moving around.
>Bird B was making the other call (something like "Hoo Hoo-Hoo-Hoo Hoo-Hoo
>Hoo Hoo", with equal emphasis on each syllable, no upswing at end as there
>is with territorial call-forgive my transcription attempt). Bird B didn't
>always respond to Bird A; Bird A would make sometimes several calls before
>there was a call from Bird B.
>
>I went down to the nest I've found, and Bird B was definitely there. Bird A
>was moving towards the nest as he was calling.
>
>Then I had to go home because the dogs were with me and I didn't want any
>coyote encounters!
>
>I have in the recent past heard same-pitch exchanges similar to the Bird
>A/Bird B one described above.
>
>Have also sometimes heard "hahnks" almost like a peahen (but not exactly-I
>know the peahen sound because one visited here for awhile while she was on
>the lam from her home; her owners came and took her home, with all
>forgiven). I gather the "hanhk" sound is not well understood.
>
>Also heard the hahnk some months ago in a short strange session where the
>owl(s?) mixed typical territorial calls with "honks" and barks. Strange
>night--wonder what was going on.
>
>I've searched books, available CDs, and the web info on GHO calls but
>haven't found too much (Owlpages.com has been the most help).
>
>Anyone have any ideas on what any of these calls/exchanges might "mean"?
>
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