Squirrel Noise

[Casperdld]

Had my baby for over two years. Today my squirrel made a new noise. Move his cage to a bigger window last week his was looking out this window when he made a noise like a bird chirping almost a whistle with a bark at the end. It worried me. It wasn't the scared or back away noises.

[stepnstone]

Squirrel sounds
Biologist Robert Lishak has spent countless hours in the field recording the sounds squirrels make. Here are the four main squirrel vocalizations.

Kuk: A cry of alarm aimed at a specific predator.

Quaa: A generalized alarm call when the threat has diminished somewhat.

Quaa moan: A call voiced when the predator has started moving away.

Muk-muk: Both a sound that baby squirrels make when they want to nurse and male squirrels make when they want to mate.

SOURCE: Robert Lishak, Auburn University.
Kuk — The kuk is a sharp bark of alarm, usually issued in a series: kuk kuk kuk!

“We used to think they were intended only for the ears of other squirrels,” Lishak said. But now researchers know there are two audiences for the kuk. The first is for conspecifics — a word that means others of the same species, i.e., other squirrels. “Rapid kuks say, ‘Hey, there’s a predator close by. This is imminent danger,’ ” Lishak said.

The second audience is the predator itself. Lishak’s work with trained cats shows that as soon as the squirrel starts kukking, the cat gives up, knowing it has lost the element of surprise.

Looked at on a spectrogram, kuks have a short duration and a broad frequency. Even if other squirrels can’t see their kukking compatriot, it’s easy for them to tell where the sound is coming from and thus where the danger is.

The squirrel also orients itself toward the threat. “The next time you hear kuks, look where the squirrel’s looking and you’ll see the reason,” Lishak said.

Quaa — The quaa is basically a long kuk issued after the threat level has dropped. It sounds a bit like a cat screeching. “A quaa says there is still danger — they can still see the predator — but it may be moving away,” Lishak said.

Quaa moan — This is lesser in intensity still. It sounds like a chirp followed by a meow.

The narrow frequency range of the quaa moan — and the way it starts softly, builds, then tapers off — makes it hard to tell exactly where the noise is coming from. It is, in the words of scientists, “ventrilocal.” Said Lishak: A quaa moan “means ‘I don’t see the predator. I think we’ve driven it from the area, but I better be as ventrilocal as I can.’ ”

For obvious reasons, the squirrel doesn’t want to give up its location.

Muk-muk — The muk-muk resembles a stifled sneeze: phfft, phfft. It’s quiet, only about 20 decibels, and is sometimes called a buzz. Nesting squirrels use it when they’re hungry and are attempting to solicit a feeding from their mother.

But the muk-muk does double duty. The next time you see a squirrel chasing another squirrel around a tree, listen for the muk-muk. The chase probably involves a male hoping to mate with a female. As he does so, the male makes the muk-muk. It means: Hey I’m chasing you, but I’m not a threat.

[sadie7684]

So does the muk-muk noise kind of sound like a pig noise...oinkish? My babies make that noise usually in the morning...I figured it meant they were hungry! :D

[CrazySquirrelLady]

:goodpost

interesting read on the calls.... thanks.

[acorniv]

Thanks Stepnstone - I have a keen interest in language acquisition in humans and animals, and IMO, knowing the vocabulary (and body language) of any animal we work with vital to a succesful outcome. I'm familiar with some other calls squirrels use (and opinions they give) that are not listed. Also. I think the calls listed aren't all quite as simple as the three letter sounds given. Some of their calls ( which I have yet to interpret) are quite complex.

"C'mere! C'mere!" means just what it sounds like - come here.

"chuh chuh chuh!" means "climb! danger from below" I discovered the specifics of this one the hard way. I thought it just meant danger - run for cover, but when a squirrel I rehabbed, who could not be released, snuck out of the house one day I learned how foolish I was to assume. A hawk immediately spied her, so I yelled "Chuh Chuh Chuh!" and she naturally made a beadline for the roof. Fortunately I had three teens home that day, so we each took a corner of the house and frantically flapped our arms and yelled at the hawk until he gave up, and then I called "c'mere!" and she came down.

I dearly wish I knew the call for danger from above! We have a hawk who built a nest in my neighbor's pear tree just so she could pick off the bunnies crows and squirrels who feasted below. I wish I'd have had that call to warn them with. A neat thing happened though - the crows and squirrels teamed up and ran the hawk off, and I have not seen her since.

An angry squirrel swears in German. My infant is using a baby talk version that is all vowels ( just like a human would use). He swears like a German pirate when he can't find the formula syringe immediately. The one we raised to adulthood though, would, on the occasions when we stole back the chocolate she stole, say this "Kerschneefershnap. Kerschenefershniffle schnapperschnafferschnap!" Much foot stomping is also involved.

I learned, BTW, that squirrels are highly ethical - though their ethics are not quite the same as ours. Stealing is a combination of work ethic and using one's intelligence, therefore, stealing is a highly regarded activity by squirrels, and on the ocassion when our girl stole something ( usually chocolate) she very proudly came to show off to us. Handouts, OTOH are shameful and an insult. We could create discovery ( leave food in a regular spot for her to find), but handing it directly to her made her hold her hands tightly to her torso and scowl at us. Then she'd turn and retreat to some place where she didn't have to associate with people who would do something so humiiating.

[acorniv]

I do find it interesting that someone at Auburn studied squirrels. I'll have to look him up, and see what his discipline is. When my son wanted (years before we rehabbed small animals) to pursue a career in studying common woodland animals, we were told by the Zoology department at a university that *no one* has ever gotten a degree in that, nor are these animals' behavior studied by anyone! We were shocked and dismayed These are the animals that imact society most on a daily level and no one studies them? :nono No wonder most people are so ignorant about the creatures in their own back yards, if scientists haven't even taken an interest!

can it be that no one cares?

Except exterminators :soapbox

and arborists :thumbsup



Some arborists have good insight into the intricate and highly advanced social life of squirrels. Much we could learn from them. I wonder if we could get one to come here to advise us?

My first squirrel was very sickly and had a miserable time digesting formula. It was collick, crying and trying her best not to eat for weeks, despite truly heroic efforts from members of this board, who got us through many a crisis. Finally, I turned to nature - and books on trees, for help. We weaned her early and she finally thrived - on wild foods I gathered, supplemented by kale, basil and sweet potato from the farmers market. Along the way, I learned some of the language my local squirrels use.

[acorniv]

I looked up Robert Lishak, and he's a biologist with a special interest in the accoustic communication of animals. Makes me wonder what an animal behaviorist would observe that might be different ( more thorough)? And woudl someone who simply lived among squirrels and remained keenly observant, learn even more? I strongly suspect they would.

Years ago, a handful of home schooled children were invited to meet Kanzi, Panbanisha, and the other Bonobos chimpanzees who use sign language. These were the first children the Bonobos would ever meet, and it took months of preperation for both parties. My children were among the invitees, so I participated in this extraordinary event too. We were extremely impressed with the work Sue Savage-Rumbaugh and her staff were doing, and with the results. We spent an entire day at the facility, doing games the staff set up for us, to demonstrate what the Bonobos could do.

But one thing really bothered me, as the daughter of a linguist, as a mom, and particularly as someone wh had taught both a parrot and two children to talk. My children were unusually early talkers - in fact, my son matches the earliest talker on record ( he started at 4 months. My daughter began at 7 months, but with whole sentences). Kanzi was not selected for the program, and was just along for the ride, because his mom, Panbanisha was in the program - in fact she was the star student for the program. But, Kanzi very quickly picked up everything his mom knew and added to it - creating many words on his own (by combining two or more that the staff ahd taught). When we studied this facility before visiting, it appeared that Dr. Savage Rumbaugh was not familiar with how humans learn language, and when we got there and she spoke to us, it was clear that she did not. Or else she dismissed it, thinking that the Bonobos are animals and somehow different. I know, from raising both a parrtot and children that there is NO difference in how animals and humans learn to communicate. Nearly all of it 'just happens' or is 'through osmosis', in both cases. I never tried to teach a word to my parrot, not to either of my children, except for years later, when they were in school, and were writing, or needed a word for some other reason. I happen to have gotten a bird that picked up language easily (forcing me to clean up my own!) and also lost it ALL, when he became gravely ill, and years later, is picking it back up again. I happen to also have had highly verbal children. These are coincidences ( and genes) not my doing. Except that I did, and do, talk to my babies. And so did Panbanisha, with hers.

And I did with my first squirrel baby too. She understood some of what I told her - by both word and tone - and knew I understood some of what she told me. We both put in effort to listen, and that is all. We also both aware of some failures - when I got something she said wrong, she was patient, and i was with her in teaching her my rules. We had uncommon trust, I think, and also her early health crisis seemed to give us both patience with each other. I'm curious to see how far I get with my new charge. Patience is not his strong suit, LOL. Miss Hickory was not caged (she had her own room, but frequently also had the run of the house) and could not be released, so we had more call to use communication then I expect to this time.

I was raised by scientists, and understand the restrictions they work with. I also understand that those restrictions also very often limit their findings. A petri dish is not an inspiring place to pick up language - living life to the fullest is. I'm curious whether Robert Lishak got our there in the woods and put a hammock in a tree and settled in, or whether he brought suirrels to his office to study.

[stepnstone]

John Kelly did a interesting report of research on Squirrels for The Washington Post on squirrel week.
See: Off Topic Posts: Annual Squirrel Week
On this page (below) there is a recorder on the left you can click on to hear squirrel sounds that were listed in the report...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/learn-to-speak-squirrel-in-four-easy-lessons/2012/04/09/gIQAV8Jr6S_story.html?hpid=z5

Note: For some reason the "muk muk" one is not sounding or playing like it did orignal.

[missPixy]

I am fascinated with all this discussion! the field of cognitive ethology, which has been gaining momentum and respect since the late 90s, seeks to prove your comment~~ that we can learn the most about animals by studying them in nature, in their natural habitat and with both allies and foes.

I have a book on animal studies, and one chapter focused on ground squirrels and how they "learn" to assess and handle dangers. specific to this study was a mom ground squirrel with weaned babies, reacting to a snake that close to their nest.

it may be that one can't specifically study woodland animals but, once a degree is secured, can focus one's efforts on animals in this category?

[Cleo_13]

I do find it interesting that someone at Auburn studied squirrels. I'll have to look him up, and see what his discipline is. When my son wanted (years before we rehabbed small animals) to pursue a career in studying common woodland animals, we were told by the Zoology department at a university that *no one* has ever gotten a degree in that, nor are these animals' behavior studied by anyone! We were shocked and dismayed These are the animals that imact society most on a daily level and no one studies them? :nono No wonder most people are so ignorant about the creatures in their own back yards, if scientists haven't even taken an interest!

can it be that no one cares?


Drat! I would like to focus my studies exactly in the direction your son wanted. I refuse to believe though that absolutely no scientist has focused on that subject, there has to be people out there besides us who care! I'm still deciding on a career to choose, as I'll need to support my chosen goal of rehabbing in some way. I love the ecology class I'm taking at my college currently, so I'm narrowing my interests from just general biology. What can I do with it though?

Stepnstone, that's a great list of sounds and descriptions there. I'm saving it for later studying.

I have one more sound I would really like to know about for sure, for future reference. Anyone have a video or recording of the "I'm hungry" cries baby squirrels make after mama has been gone too long? Is it the same as the Muk Muk sound you mentioned? I want to know exactly how they sound in case I ever need to help.

[island rehabber]

Cleo if I understand correctly the sound you're thinking of, when a baby is so hungry it just screams for mamma, that is the "eeep! EEEP! EEEEEEP! " that sounds either like a bird or a smoke alarm. :D

[acorniv]

Drat! I would like to focus my studies exactly in the direction your son wanted. I refuse to believe though that absolutely no scientist has focused on that subject, there has to be people out there besides us who care! I'm still deciding on a career to choose, as I'll need to support my chosen goal of rehabbing in some way. I love the ecology class I'm taking at my college currently, so I'm narrowing my interests from just general biology. What can I do with it though?

I think you can - and moreover, I think you SHOULD! :D :thankyou Most universities allow you to invent your own major, so I knew it was possible - I was just shocked that no one had. It really bois down to who sponsors the research? Prepare to write a LOT of proposals, and to find that a lot of companies want to sponsor only so they can exterminate :sanp3 . This incident - when I contacted the museum, happened when my son was a preteen and I was hoping to find someone to encourage his interest. I contacted the U of Florida, because they have a summer program for teens that sounds terrific. But it's geared towards people who want to take care of lions and tigers and bears, oh my. Zoos are also FULL of squirrels and, if I ran the zoo, I'd maximize that opportunity - after all, it costs them nothing to house them, right?


Stepnstone, that's a great list of sounds and descriptions there. I'm saving it for later studying.

me too. But I don't recognize some of them.

BTW, birds have different accents, depending on where they're from, so mammals probably do too. In fact! I just googled screaming squirrel, and got this youtube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nf2pKNqj77s

My female squirrel made that sound when ( I think - does anyone know this sound for sure?) she was feeling amorous. It was definately the same sound, but different intonations (accent?). Miss Hickory's was really soulful and plaintive. This one is less dramatic ( buyt then Miss Hickory did study for the stage, LOL).


I have one more sound I would really like to know about for sure, for future reference. Anyone have a video or recording of the "I'm hungry" cries baby squirrels make after mama has been gone too long? Is it the same as the Muk Muk sound you mentioned? I want to know exactly how they sound in case I ever need to help.

I've always wanted to know this too! When our new squirrel fell, the rescuer reported he screamed ( who wouldn't?). For the next two nights he also screamed a couple of times - appeared to be having flashbacks, or perhaps he was in pan from his fall. It sounded like a puppy yelping - the sort of yelp you hear when they're scared. I don;tknow if a squirrel in trouble always sounds like that, but one that has had the fright of his life does.

[acorniv]

it may be that one can't specifically study woodland animals but, once a degree is secured, can focus one's efforts on animals in this category?

I'm sure this is true. The problem (and likely is why universities don't offer majors in the subject) who could benefit from the results? All of us, obviously, but it needs to translate into money somehow.

I've long tried to convince people that the management of animals they consider to be pests is best accomplished by meeting the animal's needs, not by going to war against them. Individuals usually resist because they like to think of their property being 100% theirs, and most of all because they've settled on a mindset they rest changing. So called wildlife stores don't want to hear it because they profit from products that actually increase the problem. Gizmos that are designed to discourage squirrels actually antagonize them and drive them into people's attics, which creates a need for bigger artillery, and more profits for the stores.

I've designed a feeder that accomodates multiple species, but never produced it. No wildlife store is likely to carry it, because they're geared towards perpetuating discord between species.

It's a lot to turn around.

[acorniv]

John Kelly did a interesting report of research on Squirrels for The Washington Post on squirrel week.
See: Off Topic Posts: Annual Squirrel Week
On this page (below) there is a recorder on the left you can click on to hear squirrel sounds that were listed in the report...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/learn-to-speak-squirrel-in-four-easy-lessons/2012/04/09/gIQAV8Jr6S_story.html?hpid=z5

Note: For some reason the "muk muk" one is not sounding or playing like it did orignal.


Thanks! My locals don't make the second two noises - I wonder why? I also discovered that sqirrel vocabulary is impreeively large and more specific than humans presume. 'Danger" calls are direction specific, for example, and need to be.

[stepnstone]

Thanks! My locals don't make the second two noises - I wonder why? I also discovered that sqirrel vocabulary is impreeively large and more specific than humans presume. 'Danger" calls are direction specific, for example, and need to be.

I hear the first 3 not only from my wilds but my NR as well. She does it mostly when she is looking out
a window and sees someone walking their dog. She's very loud about it too...

[mimipapa]

Our three "nuts" chatter their teeth. it seems they do it when they are frustrated like when I hide a treat and they can figure out how to get it or just when they are eating a nut and they can't get it started right away. They love their squirrel blocks in the morning, so much that if we or the other squirrels come near them they grunt or almost growl. When they do this they have never bit us or one another. They will just hit us with their paw and move to another spot to eat. They are an amazing, smart and peaceful creatures.