17 replies to this topic

[Wendy W]

No pictures... We hear a bird that sounds like a telephone quite often. Only during the warm months though. We get a kick out of it, but don't have a clue. Any thoughts? Near La Crosse, WI.

[TheGodComplex]

Probably a Northern Mockingbird mimicking it.

[Wendy W]

Just listened to the audio and that isn't it. It said that a Catbird or Brown Thrasher may sound like it and neither one is the sound we hear either. It's like a higher pitched cell phone. Maybe it's a tree frog? More research in the morning... Any idea would be appreciated.

[TheGodComplex]

What audio exactly did you listen to?

[meghann]

We have tree frogs around here that have driven me bonkers thinking it was a bird.

[fisherman1313]

Mockingbirds sometimes mimic things like car alarms and rining phones. Starlings sometimes do, as well.

[creeker]

Maybe a Spring Peeper (type of tree frog.)

[cestma]

Eastern Gray Treefrog was the first thing that occurred to me on reading your post. Check out toads as well.

[BarnSwallow]

Starlings seem to be the ones who do the really good phone and alarm mimics.

[illin]

Just listened to the audio and that isn't it. It said that a Catbird or Brown Thrasher may sound like it and neither one is the sound we hear either. It's like a higher pitched cell phone. Maybe it's a tree frog? More research in the morning... Any idea would be appreciated.

Northern Mockingbird, Catbirds, Brown Thrashers, Starlings, YB Chats, etc. have such a wide range of vocalizations that listening to a clip will not give you a true representation of the range of sounds they make. Any one of those could make a sound like a telephone.

And I agree that it could be a frog as well.

Or possibly an insect.

[psweet]

Given the location, I would be very surprised if this was a Mockingbird.

[Wendy W]

Thank you all so much, it is so true about all the different sounds so many birds make. This sounds just like a cell phone and it has stopped us in our tracks thinking it was our phone.

TGC - this is where I listened to the audios: http://www.allaboutb...CFcUKKgodNk8Axw
this will go right to the Northern Mockingbird.

I'm going to listen to the frogs you have listed. Thanks for the help. I have a feeling this may remain a mystery.....

[Wendy W]

http://www.allaboutb...CFcUKKgodNk8Axw


here is the link, for some reason it cut off the 1st post.

*grrr......tried to delete this but can't. for some reason the link shrinks. Disregard the link.

[meghann]

The link still works.

[Wren]

You link worked fine!

[sandylee]

Hey Wendy,
Univ of WI has a GREAT frog ID site...I don't have the URL handy, but I used it last year to ID a Wood Frog (had never heard of one before). Toads often make a ringing/singing noise.... but not usually at this time of year.

And, here's a shot in the dark..... Try a Cedar Waxwing... should be pretty common in your area.... drove me nuts last Summer till I went hunting in the small woods next door... we had an outbreak of tiny Oak worms and the Waxwings were eating like crazy in the Oak leaves. I'm used to seeing them in the berry trees, so was surprised to see them "working" the Oaks.

[paulkienitz]

The most phone-like call in my area is the spotted towhee...

[Wendy W]

Hey Sandy
Thanks for the tip. I did listen to some frog and toad audios somewhere and heard a wood frog one. I hear that sound down by my creek and wondered what the heck that was! Super cool. I listened to the Cedar Waxwing and that's not it.

Hey Paul
Even though I don't have Spotted Towhee's here I did listen to the audio and then listened to the Eastern Towhee (my favorite bird) and that's not it either.

Still a mystery....
Thank you!