Weird animal sound - need help identifying

[Sojourner]

Within the past week or so, some sort of critter has taken up residence in the wall between my kitchen and my patio / backyard. It stays silent most of the time, but occasionally (like today) it makes a very loud "chirping" sound. To my ear, sounds kind of like a bird, but I thought I'd post an MP3 recording of it that I made with my iPhone and see if any of you folks might know what this thing is. The recording is about 1 minute long, and you'll hear the critter chirping about 4 different times.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/n6mn3m29u8jn5w6/chirping.mp3

{moderator note} copy and paste this link into a new window to get it to work.

I think whatever it is, it normally lives in trees, cause I heard a similar sound today from up high in some tall pine trees in my neighbor's yard while I was outside. The only real possibilities I can think or are squirrels, birds, or insects (like a cricket or cicada?).

Any help would be greatly appreciated! Or, if anyone knows of a better forum or website for getting help identifying sounds like this, I'd be grateful for a URL.

 

[Walt34]

The link didn't work for me.

 

[Avalon]

The link didn't work for me.

Copy/paste the link into the address bar. Sounds like a young bird of some sort to me.

 

[Walt34]

Okay, that worked.

Some type of bird? I don't recognize it.

 

[W2R]

Fascinating! I love a good mystery.

It sounded a little bit like a young bird to me too, maybe? But really I have no idea what on earth it could possibly be.

 

[omni550]

I couldn't hear it either, so I can't help with specific identification.

A few years ago, some birds built a nest in my neighbor's house ( they found some small crevice underneath the aluminum siding at the corner of the house). I could see the adults flying in and out. After the eggs hatched, the babies were chirping for a few days, then the babies grew big enough (surprisingly quickly) and flew away.

After the nest was no longer being used, the neighbor patched the opening to prevent recurring nests in following years.

omni

 

[Sojourner]

I uploaded the MP3 to an audio sharing service called SoundCloud. Hopefully this will make it easier to hear.

https://soundcloud.com/user244314963/chirping

Clicking on this link should take you to a page where you can click an orange "play" button to hear the sound.

[BTW, is there a better way to embed audio files in posts? This is my first time and not really sure of the best or preferred way.]

 

[Sojourner]

It definitely does sound like some sort of bird (although, honestly, not like any kind of bird I normally see or hear in my yard), but the location of this thing and it's behavior seem very, very odd. First of all, it's inside the wall between my kitchen and the back yard, at the very bottom of the wall near the ground. My house it two stories, so how would a bird be at the bottom of the house, near the ground, inside a wall? Also, I first heard it making these chirping noises one afternoon, a little over a week ago. Until today, I had not heard it even once since that first day. Why would it go so many days without making a peep, and then all of the sudden today start this incessant chirping? Really perplexing. Anyone have any ideas? What would you do in this situation?

 

[bjorn2bwild]

My guess is that it is a tree frog.

 

[MRG]

If doesn't sound like a happy neighbor. What is common in your area at this time of year? Are birds hatching, lizzards mating or other natural events occuing?
MRG

 

[omni550]

Depending on your home's construction (siding, clapboard, etc.), I bird could find a small opening on the outside of your house and build a nest near ground level within the "wall" area.

The occasional chirp may have been an adult sitting on the nest, incubating the eggs. The constant chirping now may be the babies. I expect they'll be flying away any day now.

omni

 

[springnr]

ADW: Frog Calls
or
Yellow Breasted I'm going to stink to high Heaven in a couple weeks wall dweller

 

[ChiliPepr]

Where you live would help.

 

[Sojourner]

ADW: Frog Calls
or
Yellow Breasted I'm going to stink to high Heaven in a couple weeks wall dweller

My guess is that it is a tree frog.

I think it very well could be a frog, now that I've listened to a few frog calls after seeing these replies. It makes a lot more sense, too, in this situation. Do you think I should just wait for it to leave (or die) and not worry about it, or should I try to get it out somehow? I can put up with the noises for a little while longer, but certainly not indefinitely.

 

[Sojourner]

Where you live would help.

I'm in Georgia, near metro Atlanta. There is a creek not too far from my house (maybe 500 yards).

 

[travelover]

Sounds similar to grey tree frog that we have in Michigan.

 

[Redbugdave]

That's a tree frog. The frog has to have a way to get in and out of there. I would search around and find it. Then at night when the frog is out, I would close the opening up. You are lucky you don't have one of those Cuban tree frogs that are in Florida...

 

[bjorn2bwild]

They do not need to seek daily sustenance nor are they the brightest creatures, often getting themselves into intractable situations.
Fortunately, like London weather and my thoughts most days, they are a little froggy.
Out west they usually dry without much odor. Don't know about the humid south east.

 

[jclarksnakes]

Atlanta you say, too easy. Copes Tree Frog. I have a friend who can identify dozens of frog and toad calls.

 

[Sojourner]

Atlanta you say, too easy. Copes Tree Frog. I have a friend who can identify dozens of frog and toad calls.

Yep, that's definitely it. Now I just need to figure out how to get him out (and keep him out) of my wall. Thanks for helping me solve this crazy mystery!

 

[RockyMtn]

Do you think I should just wait for it to leave (or die) and not worry about it, or should I try to get it out somehow? I can put up with the noises for a little while longer, but certainly not indefinitely.

I think you should tear the wall down and free the little sucker!

 

[Redbugdave]

Whew...It could have been worse...like something paranormal going on and an excorcism on order...

 

[Sittingduck]

Yep, that's definitely it. Now I just need to figure out how to get him out (and keep him out) of my wall. Thanks for helping me solve this crazy mystery!

Send in a snake!

 

[jclarksnakes]

Are you sure it is inside the wall? They usually hide under the eaves or around window frames on houses. They sometimes get through or around screens and end up inside the window.

 

[Walt34]

I think you should tear the wall down and free the little sucker!

I can see the bumper stickers now....