Dumb-Sounding Birds Of North America | SKUNK BEAR

Blogging birder Nick Lund shared some of his favorite ridiculous bird songs with Skunk Bear.
↓↓Links & Info↓↓

Copyright © 2015 NPR. All rights reserved. Visit our website terms of use for further information.

[DanielCiurlizza]

American Bittern is so unique! I can't even imagine how it's making that sound. Also, great close ups of the eagle. It deserved it.

[grossscienceshow]

This is my new favorite video. Thank you, Skunk Bear.

[Corvidic]

I'm so happy that the Willow Ptarmigan were included. I once stopped in a mountain pass for a pee break, and I could hear their calls absolutely everywhere around me. It was a weird and delightful moment.

[kenny]

The bittern is pretty interesting sounding. Like something plopping in water.

[Hpfan]

Amazing, as always. Though I was a little disappointed at the lack of sage-grouse noises. That's a ridiculous bird if I've ever heard one

[jackshenhouse]

0:38 f*ck, f*ck, f*ck!" Willow Ptarmigan sounds like he just spilled hot coffee in his lap.

[skunkbear]

What are some of your favorite ridiculous bird calls? I've seen black-capped chickadee, sage grouse, and mourning dove in the comments

[mattscholtes]

Transcript of text on video (for people who are blind or visually impaired):
Listen to these 5 Dumb-sounding Birds of North America...
Some bird songs are beautiful. Some are just ridiculous.
1. Atlantic Puffin (Fratercula arctica)
2. Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)
3. American Bittern (Botaurus lentiginosus)
4. Northern Barred Owl (Strix varia)
5. Willow Ptarmigan (Lagopus lagopus)
Curated by Nick Lund
The Birdist
thebirdist.com
Audio provided by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology
Special Thanks to Matthew Young.
Produced by: Adam Cole
Senior Producers: Eric Athas, Serri Graslie
Senior Editor: Alison Richards
Supervising Editor: Anne Gudenkauf
Music: The Magic Flute, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart; "Overture", Karel Ancerl & Czech Philharmonic Orchestra; "Pa Pa Pa Papagena", Dagmar Peckova & Ivan Kusnjer.
Images: John James Audobon, Biodiversity Heritage Library, artvintage1800s.etsy.com
NPR Skunk bear

[donnaquixote]

The song you put at the end is really fitting, given Papageno and Papagena wear bird costumes in the Magic Flute.

[ArgoPower]

very strange, I'm in Europe and haven't ever heard this birds! thank you

[JacobTheLoofah]

How could you not include the American Woodcock?

[KillerFreya]

"My bagel, my bagel, my bagel...my bagel." Willow ptarmigan makes the best sounds, what are you guys talking about

[Synazure]

I lost it when the video zoomed in on the Eagle! so funny!

[Chesbeau]

The finale is Mozart's finest! Thank You!

[Quadraxon]

There's one bird in Topeka Kansas that sounds like it's being tickled. I don't know what kind of bird it is, but it mainly makes the noise at night, and the bird usually stays on the outskirts of suburban neighborhoods into rural areas.

If i could describe the sound, it sounds like, hehehe! Hehehehe! Like its trying to push another bird away.

[annedwyer]

Maybe this video should be called "Weird-Sounding Birds Of North America" instead of "Stupid"? Sorry, but the barred owl's "caterwauling" is so ridiculous that it's absolutely cool! I've heard them both in suburban north TX and rural central FL (where their booming calls really carry and bounce around at 3am!) 🦉 And the puffin's call is so incongruous with their adorable appearance that it makes them even cuter. FYI, the Cornell bird site allaboutbirds.org is FANTASTIC; it includes everything you need to ID birds, including lots of recordings of songs/calls (which I've read is the way serious birders generally ID birds, through sound rather than visuals)

[PeyjTurner]

Best use of Die Zauberflöte in a good long while.

[DougCamfield]

Didn't think the video could match the quality of the title...boy was I wrong.

[nobodyknowsanything]

Five million points for the Mozart at the end.

[Turtleproof]

Does anybody know what bird makes the goofy noise when it flies away startled? They were native to Florida and referred to as doves but I cannot find a clip anywhere. Best imitation I can do is to clench my throat and say, "Ehhhh?" The sound is really that silly.