Eagles are large birds of prey that are known for their keen eyesight and powerful talons. When an eagle is hunting for food, the sounds it makes can vary depending on the situation. Eagles use vocalizations and other sounds as part of their hunting strategy to locate and capture prey. Understanding what an eagle sounds like when it’s hunting can provide insight into its behavior and biology.
Eagle Vocalizations
Eagles have a range of vocalizations that they use for communication. Here are some of the main vocalizations eagles make when hunting:
Alarm Call
The alarm call is a loud, high-pitched call that sounds like a rapid series of high-pitched whistling or screaming sounds. Eagles make this call to raise an alarm, either to communicate the presence of a threat or when competing for food resources. The alarm call can rally other eagles to mob potential predators or competitors.
Excitement Call
The excitement call is made during or right before Eagle’s attack on prey. It is a repetitive series of short, loud, high-pitched calls that sound like “klee-klee-klee”. The excitement call seems to communicate enthusiasm during the hunt. It is thought to put prey on edge and flush it from cover.
Begs and Squeals
Begging calls are made by juvenile eagles when soliciting food from parents. It is a series of high-pitched squealing sounds. Squealing calls are also made by adults during feeding to solicit food from the mate. Begging and squealing sounds may be made by hunting eagles homing in on prey to startle it into movement.
Contact Calls
Contact calls are made between eagles kept in visual contact, especially by family members. It is a single short, low-pitched call sounding like “beep.” Contact calls help eagles coordinate their movements when hunting in pairs or family groups.
Other Eagle Hunting Sounds
In addition to vocalizations, eagles utilize other sounds as part of their hunting strategy:
Wing Sounds
Eagles produce sound with their wings as part of their flight. During hunting dives or stoops, eagles tuck in their wings to gain speed. This creates a rhythmic swishing or whooshing sound. The sound of eagle wings helps startle and herd prey animals.
Wind Sounds
As eagles speed downward on a hunt, wind rushes over their wings and body. This creates a pulsing, whistling sound near the eagle. These wind sounds add to the effect of scaring prey. The sound also alerts other eagles to join the hunt.
Impact Sounds
Eagles make loud impact sounds when swooping down and striking prey. There is often an audible thud when they hit their prey in flight. Eagles also create noise hitting vegetation when they crash into cover grabbing hidden prey. These impact sounds are part of the action of an eagle completing an attack.
What Do Eagle Hunting Sounds Mean?
The variety of eagle calls, wing sounds, and other noises make up a complex language that is involved in coordination of hunting between eagles. The sounds eagles make when hunting appear to serve some key purposes:
– Communication with other eagles
– Startling and scaring prey
– Pinpointing the location of prey
– Signaling a successful attack
– Celebrating a victorious hunt
Eagle hunting sounds allow these powerful raptors to more effectively locate and capture prey. Understanding the meanings behind the sounds provides insight into the hunting behaviors and social interactions of these large birds of prey.
Sounds of Different Eagle Species Hunting
There are over 60 species of eagles around the world. Some variations exist in the typical hunting sounds they make:
Bald Eagle
Bald Eagles are one of the most vocal eagles when hunting. They utilize loud, piercing alarm calls and begging calls to startle prey. Their excitement call is a series of rapid high-pitched notes.
Golden Eagle
Golden Eagles make more melodious calls than bald eagles. Their alarm call is a plaintive, wolf-like wailing. Excitement calls are a quicker series of wee-wee whistles.
African Fish Eagle
This eagle’s excitement call is a repetitive cowbell-like knocking. It helps drive fish into the open as they hunt over water bodies.
Wedge-Tailed Eagle
This large Australian eagle makes a resonant two-note hunting call sounding like a wailing “way-o.”
Philippine Eagle
One of the largest and most powerful eagles. It makes a unique sad, wailing sieowww call when chasing prey through the forest.
| Eagle Species | Hunting Sounds |
|---|---|
| Bald Eagle | Loud, piercing alarm and begging calls. Rapid series of high-pitched excitement calls. |
| Golden Eagle | Plaintive, wolf-like wailing alarm calls. Wee-wee whistling excitement calls. |
| African Fish Eagle | Repetitive cowbell-like knocking excitement call. |
| Wedge-Tailed Eagle | Two-note resonant wailing “way-o” hunting call. |
| Philippine Eagle | Sad, wailing “sieowww” call when chasing prey. |
When Are Eagle Hunting Sounds Heard?
Eagle hunting sounds are most likely to be heard in the following situations:
During Nesting Season
Excitement calls are frequently made when eagles are hunting to feed chicks at a nest. Begging calls are often heard around the nest as parent eagles return with food.
Gaining Momentum in a Stoop
Eagles make shrill alarm or excitement calls right before swooping down feet-first on prey in a hunting stoop.
Just Before Striking
Final screams or impact sounds mark the moment when an eagle makes contact with its prey after a stoop.
Feeding with Other Eagles
Eagles make squealing and begging sounds when competing over a food resource with other eagles.
Warming Up on Perches
Eagles makecontact calls on vantage perches in the morning when scanning for prey, gearing up to hunt.
Hunting Sounds Based on Eagle Age
Younger and older eagles make somewhat different sounds when hunting:
Juvenile Eagles
Begging calls are frequently made by immature eagles looking for food. Their vocalizations are often more irregular as they learn to hunt.
Subadult Eagles
Squealing contact calls help coordinate hunting with siblings and parents as subadults start gaining independence.
Adult Eagles
With hunting experience, adult eagles make more consistent alarm and excitement calls. Their sounds communicate more information to coordinate attacks.
Conclusion
Eagles utilize a wide repertoire of sounds both to locate prey and coordinate successful attacks. Vocalizations like alarm and excitement calls help startle prey, while wing sounds add to the effect. Impact noises punctuate the final strike. Juvenile, subadult, and adult eagles use sounds somewhat differently. Understanding what eagles sound like when hunting provides a window into their techniques for securing food. Whether it is the high-pitched whistling of a bald eagle or deep wailing call of a wedge-tailed eagle, these birds rely on sound as well as vision when hunting as apex predators. The variety and volume of eagle hunting sounds reflect the focus and power behind their flight in pursuit of food.
