Night Callers: 4 Birds Who Sing at Night

If you've ever been outside or had your windows open at midnight, you probably know that not all is quiet or sleeping during the dark hours. Many birds sing or vocalize in the dead of night. Some to call to potential mates, some to establish and maintain territories, others to assist in navigating the skies as they migrate in the darkness. Listening to these birds at night can bring about a sense of calm, or possibly a case of the jitters depending on the sounds produced. Read on to learn about some of our Ontario-native night callers and what they sound like. 

American Woodcock

American Woodcock
You may have heard an American Woodcock and not even known it! These birds are highly elusive and rarely seen thanks to their incredible camouflaging skills. Males can be heard on most spring nights as they belt out their courtship calls which sound like a buzzy, nasal "Peent!", and chirp melodically as they perform their aerial courtship displays. Listen to their calls here.

Eastern Whip-poor-will
Another species that is heard but rarely seen - even more rarely than the American Woodcock - is the Eastern Whip-poor-will. The Whip-poor-will's iconic chant of "whip-poor-will" rings clearly through the forest on warm summer nights, and is called out by males during the breeding season. Though it was once a commonly heard call in Ontario, the Eastern Whip-poor-will has been disappearing from the landscape over the past several decades due to habitat loss, climate change, and pesticide use. Listen to their calls here.

Barred Owl

Barred Owl
"Who cooks for you? Who cooks for you-all?" is the distinctive call of the Barred Owl. This deep 8-9 note call resonates through the woods and can be heard at all hours of the night, but particularly in late evening near marshes, forest edges, and parks. During mating and nesting seasons (mid winter to early summer), mated pairs can be heard singing duets of emphatic hoots, gurgles, chattering, and cackles. Listen to their calls here.

Black-crowned Night Heron - photo by Brenda Hartley-Foubert

Black-crowned Night Heron
This stout heron species works smarter, not harder. Black-crowned Night Herons are opportunistic hunters, but primarily feed throughout the night to avoid the heavy competition with other heron species that hunt in the same area during the day. Due to their nocturnal tendencies, Black-crowned Night Herons can often be heard calling out late at night with their barking and resonating squawks, gulps, and hisses. Listen to their calls here.

Not sure of a bird call you’re hearing? Try Merlin! Merlin is an app created by Cornell Lab of Ornithology, and can be used to help identify birds by sight and now, by sound! Simply download the app on your smart phone, hit the 'Sound ID' button to record what you're hearing, and it will give you an ID! Click here to learn more. 

Happy trails!
- Shayna