Gallery: You'll Never Guess Who: Strange Recordings From the Library of Animal Sounds
01not-an-alligator
Which animal makes this sound? <object data="http://stag-komodo.wired.com/gadgetlab/wp-content/plugins/dewplayer-flash-mp3-player/dewplayer.swf?mp3=http://stag-komodo.wired.com/images_blogs/wiredscience/2014/01/Alstons-Brown-Mouse_52648_Langtimm.mp3 &bgcolor=FFFFFF" height="20" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="200"><param name="bgcolor" value="FFFFFF"></param><param name="movie" value="http://stag-komodo.wired.com/gadgetlab/wp-content/plugins/dewplayer-flash-mp3-player/dewplayer.swf?mp3=http://stag-komodo.wired.com/images_blogs/wiredscience/2014/01/Alstons-Brown-Mouse_52648_Langtimm.mp3 &bgcolor=FFFFFF"></param></object> Scroll down to find out. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09AB1qNnHbw Alston's Brown Mouse -------------------- Sounding rather like a cricket, bird, or dolphin, Alston's brown mouse (*Scotinomys teguina*) serenades the highland forests of Central America. Also called the singing mouse, this tiny rodent feeds on beetles and other insects, and is active during the day. Both males and females sing, sometimes entering into long duets. While singing, the mice sit on their hind legs and face the sky, producing a song that contains both audible and ultrasonic notes. *Video: [The Singing Mice](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09AB1qNnHbw&noredirect=1)/YouTube*
02not-a-devil
Which animal makes this sound? <object data="http://stag-komodo.wired.com/gadgetlab/wp-content/plugins/dewplayer-flash-mp3-player/dewplayer.swf?mp3=http://stag-komodo.wired.com/images_blogs/wiredscience/2014/01/Brown-Sicklebill_163690_Scholes-III.mp3 &bgcolor=FFFFFF" height="20" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="200"><param name="bgcolor" value="FFFFFF"></param><param name="movie" value="http://stag-komodo.wired.com/gadgetlab/wp-content/plugins/dewplayer-flash-mp3-player/dewplayer.swf?mp3=http://stag-komodo.wired.com/images_blogs/wiredscience/2014/01/Brown-Sicklebill_163690_Scholes-III.mp3 &bgcolor=FFFFFF"></param></object> Scroll down to find out.  Brown Sicklebill ----------------- Instead of a machine gun, that's the song of a large bird of paradise called the Brown Sicklebill (*Epimachus meyeri*). These birds, which can reach 96 centimeters -- about three feet -- long, live in the mountain forests of New Guinea. *Photo: [Jerryoldenettel](http://www.flickr.com/photos/jroldenettel/6100010792/)/Flickr*
03not-a-chimpanzee
Which animal makes this sound? <object data="http://stag-komodo.wired.com/gadgetlab/wp-content/plugins/dewplayer-flash-mp3-player/dewplayer.swf?mp3=http://stag-komodo.wired.com/images_blogs/wiredscience/2014/01/Common-Eider_4105_Palmer.mp3 &bgcolor=FFFFFF" height="20" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="200"><param name="bgcolor" value="FFFFFF"></param><param name="movie" value="http://stag-komodo.wired.com/gadgetlab/wp-content/plugins/dewplayer-flash-mp3-player/dewplayer.swf?mp3=http://stag-komodo.wired.com/images_blogs/wiredscience/2014/01/Common-Eider_4105_Palmer.mp3 &bgcolor=FFFFFF"></param></object> Scroll down to find out.  Common Eider ------------ Sounding pleasantly, perpetually surprised, the common eider (*Somateria mollissima*) produces a call that's commonly described as "ah-ooo." This seafaring duck breeds in the Arctic and frequents the coasts of Northern Europe, Siberia, and North America. Large and social, the common eider forms colonies that can contain more than 15,000 individuals. It's best known for its down, plucked from the female. The duck dives for crustaceans and molluscs, and will eat mussels whole. *Photo: [Sciadopitys](http://www.flickr.com/photos/40183553@N02/6201110246/)/Flickr*
04not-a-walrus
Which animal makes this sound? <object data="http://stag-komodo.wired.com/gadgetlab/wp-content/plugins/dewplayer-flash-mp3-player/dewplayer.swf?mp3=http://stag-komodo.wired.com/images_blogs/wiredscience/2014/01/107964.mp3 &bgcolor=FFFFFF" height="20" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="200"><param name="bgcolor" value="FFFFFF"></param><param name="movie" value="http://stag-komodo.wired.com/gadgetlab/wp-content/plugins/dewplayer-flash-mp3-player/dewplayer.swf?mp3=http://stag-komodo.wired.com/images_blogs/wiredscience/2014/01/107964.mp3 &bgcolor=FFFFFF"></param></object> Scroll down to find out.  Common Loon ----------- Sounding remarkably like a howling wolf, the common loon (*Gavia immer*) creates these haunting sounds as it flies. Known as a "diver" in Europe, the red-eyed bird can plunge to depths of 200 feet in search of fish. Clumsy and awkward on land, the common loon is graceful in the air and can reach speeds of 75 miles per hour while migrating. *Photo: [Steve took it](http://www.flickr.com/photos/stevewall/2765424522/)/Flickr*
05notanotter
Which animal makes this sound? <object data="http://stag-komodo.wired.com/gadgetlab/wp-content/plugins/dewplayer-flash-mp3-player/dewplayer.swf?mp3=http://stag-komodo.wired.com/images_blogs/wiredscience/2014/01/Common-Potoo_59964_Schwartz.mp3 &bgcolor=FFFFFF" height="20" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="200"><param name="bgcolor" value="FFFFFF"></param><param name="movie" value="http://stag-komodo.wired.com/gadgetlab/wp-content/plugins/dewplayer-flash-mp3-player/dewplayer.swf?mp3=http://stag-komodo.wired.com/images_blogs/wiredscience/2014/01/Common-Potoo_59964_Schwartz.mp3 &bgcolor=FFFFFF"></param></object> Scroll down to find out.  Common Potoo ------------ This nocturnal bird lives in Central and South America, producing songs that sound as though they're played by reed flutes. During the day, the common potoo (*Nyctibius griseus*) does its best impersonation of a tree stump, remaining very still and camouflaged on its perch. In the evenings, the common potoo hunts for insects, its large yellow eyes peering through the darkness. *Photo: [Reinaldo Aguilar](http://www.flickr.com/photos/plantaspinunsulaosa/5603003696/)/Flickr*
06not-an-owl
Which animal makes this sound? <object data="http://stag-komodo.wired.com/gadgetlab/wp-content/plugins/dewplayer-flash-mp3-player/dewplayer.swf?mp3=http://stag-komodo.wired.com/images_blogs/wiredscience/2014/01/Giant-Otter_117921_-Finch.mp3 &bgcolor=FFFFFF" height="20" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="200"><param name="bgcolor" value="FFFFFF"></param><param name="movie" value="http://stag-komodo.wired.com/gadgetlab/wp-content/plugins/dewplayer-flash-mp3-player/dewplayer.swf?mp3=http://stag-komodo.wired.com/images_blogs/wiredscience/2014/01/Giant-Otter_117921_-Finch.mp3 &bgcolor=FFFFFF"></param></object> Scroll down to find out.  Giant Otter ----------- Carnivorous giant otters (*Pteronuro brasiliensis*) swim in South American rivers, with the largest population centered around the Amazon’s murky waters. Among the noisiest of otters, the mammals’ vocalizations -- including grunts, snorts, barks, and whistles -- help them defend territories and communicate with family groups, which can include more than a dozen members. Giant otters, growing up to 6 feet long, are sometimes referred to as “River Wolves.” They prefer to eat fish (including piranhas), but will also feast on crabs, small caimans, and snakes (including anacondas). As bad-ass as they are, giant otters face a number of threats. In 1999, the IUCN listed giant otters as endangered; now there are just a few thousand individuals left. For years, the otters’ velvety pelts had made them a prize for poachers; now, habitat destruction and fragmentation also pose a threat, with roughly 80 percent of their South American range already gone. *Photo: [Joachim S. Muller](http://www.flickr.com/photos/joachim_s_mueller/4012903963/)/Flickr*
07not-a-tui
Which animal makes this sound? <object data="http://stag-komodo.wired.com/gadgetlab/wp-content/plugins/dewplayer-flash-mp3-player/dewplayer.swf?mp3=http://stag-komodo.wired.com/images_blogs/wiredscience/2014/01/Great-Potoo_31736_Parker.mp3 &bgcolor=FFFFFF" height="20" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="200"><param name="bgcolor" value="FFFFFF"></param><param name="movie" value="http://stag-komodo.wired.com/gadgetlab/wp-content/plugins/dewplayer-flash-mp3-player/dewplayer.swf?mp3=http://stag-komodo.wired.com/images_blogs/wiredscience/2014/01/Great-Potoo_31736_Parker.mp3 &bgcolor=FFFFFF"></param></object> Scroll down to find out.  Great Potoo ----------- Larger than the common potoo, the great potoo (*Nyctibius grandis*) is the biggest of the potoo species. Its cryptic plumage helps it remain camouflaged during the day -- it blends in well with the trees in which it perches -- and it hunts for insects at night. But unlike its common cousin, the great potoo does not sing a melodic song. Instead, these snorty grunts and growls belie the presence of this tropical bird. *Photo: [Dominic Sherony](http://www.flickr.com/photos/9765210@N03/4505556088/lightbox/)/Flickr*
08not-a-sicklebill
Which animal makes this sound? <object data="http://stag-komodo.wired.com/gadgetlab/wp-content/plugins/dewplayer-flash-mp3-player/dewplayer.swf?mp3=http://stag-komodo.wired.com/images_blogs/wiredscience/2014/01/97903.mp3 &bgcolor=FFFFFF" height="20" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="200"><param name="bgcolor" value="FFFFFF"></param><param name="movie" value="http://stag-komodo.wired.com/gadgetlab/wp-content/plugins/dewplayer-flash-mp3-player/dewplayer.swf?mp3=http://stag-komodo.wired.com/images_blogs/wiredscience/2014/01/97903.mp3 &bgcolor=FFFFFF"></param></object> Scroll down to find out.  Indri lemur ----------- If it sounds like the forests of Madagascar are ringing with the polyphonic tones of a jazz quartet, look to the trees: It could be the songs of the endangered Indri lemur (*Indri indri*). These large tree-dwellers sing to one another to attract mates, defend territories, and solidify family groups. Indris are monogamous, and sleep high in the trees through which they make their way during the day, leaping and climbing, in search of flowers, fruits, seeds, and bark. *Photo: [David Cook Wildlife Photography](http://www.flickr.com/photos/kookr/8358883993/)/Flickr*
09not-a-monkey
Which animal makes this sound? <object data="http://stag-komodo.wired.com/gadgetlab/wp-content/plugins/dewplayer-flash-mp3-player/dewplayer.swf?mp3=http://stag-komodo.wired.com/images_blogs/wiredscience/2014/01/127299.mp3 &bgcolor=FFFFFF" height="20" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="200"><param name="bgcolor" value="FFFFFF"></param><param name="movie" value="http://stag-komodo.wired.com/gadgetlab/wp-content/plugins/dewplayer-flash-mp3-player/dewplayer.swf?mp3=http://stag-komodo.wired.com/images_blogs/wiredscience/2014/01/127299.mp3 &bgcolor=FFFFFF"></param></object> Scroll down to find out.  Montezuma Oropendola -------------------- The coastal Caribbean rainforests are home to the Montezuma Oropendola (*Psarocolius montezuma*), a large, colorful bird whose song sounds a lot like a gurgling extraterrestrial. Much larger than the females, males attempt to woo mates with this unearthly song -- accompanied by a courtship display that sometimes includes singing while hanging upside down from tree branches. *Photo: [Jerryoldenettel](http://www.flickr.com/photos/jroldenettel/2307444695/)/Flickr*
10not-a-mouse
Which animal makes this sound? <object data="http://stag-komodo.wired.com/gadgetlab/wp-content/plugins/dewplayer-flash-mp3-player/dewplayer.swf?mp3=http://stag-komodo.wired.com/images_blogs/wiredscience/2014/01/Snow-Owl_138288_Vyn.mp3 &bgcolor=FFFFFF" height="20" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="200"><param name="bgcolor" value="FFFFFF"></param><param name="movie" value="http://stag-komodo.wired.com/gadgetlab/wp-content/plugins/dewplayer-flash-mp3-player/dewplayer.swf?mp3=http://stag-komodo.wired.com/images_blogs/wiredscience/2014/01/Snow-Owl_138288_Vyn.mp3 &bgcolor=FFFFFF"></param></object> Scroll down to find out.  Snowy Owl --------- Who? Who? Snowy owl (*Bubo scandiacus*), that's who! *Photo: [Bill Bouton](http://www.flickr.com/photos/billbouton/6944805065/)/Flickr*
11not-a-woodpecker
Which animal makes this sound? <object data="http://stag-komodo.wired.com/gadgetlab/wp-content/plugins/dewplayer-flash-mp3-player/dewplayer.swf?mp3=http://stag-komodo.wired.com/images_blogs/wiredscience/2014/01/Tui_136047_Medler.mp3 &bgcolor=FFFFFF" height="20" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="200"><param name="bgcolor" value="FFFFFF"></param><param name="movie" value="http://stag-komodo.wired.com/gadgetlab/wp-content/plugins/dewplayer-flash-mp3-player/dewplayer.swf?mp3=http://stag-komodo.wired.com/images_blogs/wiredscience/2014/01/Tui_136047_Medler.mp3 &bgcolor=FFFFFF"></param></object> Scroll down to find out.  Tui --- The tui (*Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae*) is a colorful, aggressive bird that lives in New Zealand and feeds on flower nectar, insects, and seeds. Like parrots, tuis can mimic human speech and repeat complicated phrases. Their normal calls, though, include a cacophony of wheezes, bells, clicks, and groans. *Photo: [SidPix](http://www.flickr.com/photos/sidm/6570554993/)/Flickr*
12not-a-lemur
Which animal makes this sound? <object data="http://stag-komodo.wired.com/gadgetlab/wp-content/plugins/dewplayer-flash-mp3-player/dewplayer.swf?mp3=http://stag-komodo.wired.com/images_blogs/wiredscience/2014/01/532761.mp3 &bgcolor=FFFFFF" height="20" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="200"><param name="bgcolor" value="FFFFFF"></param><param name="movie" value="http://stag-komodo.wired.com/gadgetlab/wp-content/plugins/dewplayer-flash-mp3-player/dewplayer.swf?mp3=http://stag-komodo.wired.com/images_blogs/wiredscience/2014/01/532761.mp3 &bgcolor=FFFFFF"></param></object> Scroll down to find out.  Walrus ------ The ruckus you hear is the sound of a walrus (*Odobenus rosmarus*) hammering his tusks on ice. This is also one of audio curator Greg Budney's favorite recordings. "The walrus is absolutely astonishing," Budney says. "It floored me the first time I heard it." *Photo: [NOAA](http://www.photolib.noaa.gov/htmls/anim0022.htm)*
13not-a-toad
Which animal makes this sound? <object data="http://stag-komodo.wired.com/gadgetlab/wp-content/plugins/dewplayer-flash-mp3-player/dewplayer.swf?mp3=http://stag-komodo.wired.com/images_blogs/wiredscience/2014/01/Koala_147621_NPR_NGS-RadEx.mp3 &bgcolor=FFFFFF" height="20" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="200"><param name="bgcolor" value="FFFFFF"></param><param name="movie" value="http://stag-komodo.wired.com/gadgetlab/wp-content/plugins/dewplayer-flash-mp3-player/dewplayer.swf?mp3=http://stag-komodo.wired.com/images_blogs/wiredscience/2014/01/Koala_147621_NPR_NGS-RadEx.mp3 &bgcolor=FFFFFF"></param></object> Scroll down to find out.  Koala ----- Small, herbivorous koalas can create an awful lot of noise during the breeding season. These Australian marsupials are not bears. Nor are they friendly. Once hunted to near extinction, the population eventually rebounded. Now, they're threatened by habitat loss and urbanization, as well as a form of chlamydia that has caused symptoms such as blindness and infertility in as much as 50 percent of the population. *Photo: [Webbaliah](http://www.flickr.com/photos/webbaliah/4127340060/in/photostream)/Flickr*
14not-a-wolf
Which animal makes this sound? <object data="http://stag-komodo.wired.com/gadgetlab/wp-content/plugins/dewplayer-flash-mp3-player/dewplayer.swf?mp3=http://stag-komodo.wired.com/images_blogs/wiredscience/2014/01/163685.mp3&bgcolor=FFFFFF" height="20" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="200"><param name="bgcolor" value="FFFFFF"></param><param name="movie" value="http://stag-komodo.wired.com/gadgetlab/wp-content/plugins/dewplayer-flash-mp3-player/dewplayer.swf?mp3=http://stag-komodo.wired.com/images_blogs/wiredscience/2014/01/163685.mp3&bgcolor=FFFFFF"></param></object> Scroll down to find out.  Curl-crested Manucode --------------------- The New Guinea Curl-crested Manucode (*Manucodia comrii*), a large bird of paradise, also sounds like an alien spaceship. *Photo: [Macaulay Library](http://macaulaylibrary.org/video/469202/manucodia-comrii-curl-crested-manucode-papua-new-guinea-milne-bay-timothy-laman)*
