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May 16, 2023

What's your favourite Aussie animal sound? Have your say in our Science Week vote

Australia is famous for our unique animals — and they fill our landscape with a symphony of beautiful, bizarre and beguiling noises. To celebrate National Science Week (August 12 - 20) we are looking

Australia is famous for our unique animals — and they fill our landscape with a symphony of beautiful, bizarre and beguiling noises.

To celebrate National Science Week (August 12 - 20) we are looking for Australia's most loved native animal sound.

Our panel of experts has come up with a longlist of 28 Australian animals: their calls range from melodies and trills, to squawks and creaky doors, to bellows, growls and howls.

Now we need to hear from you!

Which one should get the shout-out as Australia's favourite animal sound?

Swipe or click through the slide show — and listen to the audio — then vote below.

Barking owl — 'woof woof' — The distinctive double note of the barking owl (Ninox connivens) can be heard across Australia (except Tassie and the central desert areas) in open woodlands, the edges of forests and farmland. This small owl is most active in the early hours of the night and the last hours before dawn.

Banjo frog — 'bonk bonk' — Also known as pobblebonks, banjo frogs sound like a banjo string being plucked, over and over. This bonking call is made by males to attract a mate, and can lead to a lovely chorus of bonks in return. Banjo frogs (Limnodynastes species) can be heard in QLD, NSW, VIC, TAS, SA and south-west WA but not in the interior or NT.

Boobook — 'book book' or 'mo-poke' — The lovely two-note call of the boobook can be heard across Australia, including bushy urban areas. Boobooks are perch hunters: they wait on a perch then pounce on their prey, such as insects and small birds or mammals. The southern boobook (Ninox boobook) is the most common owl in Australia, whereas Tassie has its own boobook species (Ninox leucopsis).

Black cockatoo — 'kee-ow' — The mournful eerie shriek of yellow-tailed black cockatoos (Zanda funerea) calling to each other can be heard across parts of QLD, NSW, VIC, TAS and SA. These big birds live in small to large flocks and they love eucalypt woodland. There are six black cockatoo species in Australia — the endangered Carnaby's, and Baudin's black cockatoos in south-west WA have a similar cry.

Bush stone-curlew — ‘weer-lo' — The high-pitched night-time wailing of the bush stone-curlew (Burhinus grallarius) is often described as ‘ghost-like'. This large, nocturnal, ground-dwelling bird lives across Australia (except TAS) in grasslands, heathlands, bushland — and sometimes golf courses and cemeteries. It is now quite rare in the southern states, but familiar to many Queenslanders.

Butcherbird — melodic and maniacal — The grey butcherbird's lively call is made up of a melodious song punctuated with noisy, slightly maniacal cackling, often performed as a duet. Its cousin the pied butcherbird is more tuneful. The grey (Cracticus torquatus) and pied (Cracticus nigrogularis) butcherbirds can be heard over most of Australia, in wooded or leafy areas.

Cicadas — 'screeeeee' — The loudest insect in the world, cicadas can be heard across Australia. Male cicadas sing in summer to attract a mate, using their timbals, a pair of ribbed membranes at the base of their abdomen. Singing together, the males create a deafening chorus. There are more than 200 species in Australia (superfamily Cicadoidea) and most have their own unique song.

Dingo — 'oh-ooll' — The ethereal howl of the dingo is generally heard at night, and sounds more like the spine-tingling call of a wolf than a domestic dog. Dingoes (Canis familiaris) howl to communicate with other pack members or warn off intruders in their territory. Interestingly, unlike our canine companions, dingoes don't tend to bark much.

Fairywren — high tinkering trills — Fairywrens can be heard across most of Australia, so long as there is suitable dense vegetation for these small birds to hide in. Their song is a reeling, high-pitched, series of trills, used to communicate with each other. There are 10 species of fairywrens (Malurus species) across Australia.

Flying fox — squealing, squabbling and cackling — The flap of leathery wings and occasional cackle gives away flying foxes, feasting on trees at night. By day, these large bats hang about squealing and squabbling in big, noisy colonies. Australia has four main species of flying fox (Pteropus species) — the grey-headed, black, spectacled, and little red — found everywhere except TAS and inland areas.

Gang-gang cockatoo — 'creak, creak' — Often likened to the sound of a rusty hinge or creaky door, the call of this small, stocky, dark-grey cockatoo is heard in eucalypt forests in NSW and VIC. Gang-gang cockatoos (Callocephalon fimbriatu) spend the summer in mountainous areas and migrate to lower elevations (and suburban areas) in autumn and winter. Only the male has the bright red head and crest.

Galah — 'chi chi' — The cheery high-pitched screech of the galah can be heard regularly across Australia in a huge variety of habitats, from urban areas to bushland to deserts. These grey and pink parrots hang out in pairs, small groups or huge flocks. Galahs (Eolophus roseicapilla) typically feed on the ground, eating grasses and seeds, and can be especially noisy around water sources.

Green tree frog — 'crawk-crawk-crawk' — This large frog grows up to 11cm in body size and has a similarly outsized call. Made by the male frog, the repetitive ‘crawk-crawk' can be heard from trees, ponds, gutters and drainpipes (where it's amplified) in much of QLD and NSW, as well as parts of WA, NT and SA. The green tree frog (Litoria caerulea) climbs using its belly skin and toe pads.

Humpback whale — squeals, whistles, rumbles — Whale song is a complex chatty series of low rumbling gurgles punctuated with high-pitched whistles and squeals. Only male whales sing, although females make other noises, and we don't know exactly why. It may be a show of dominance, or to do with mating or territory. Humpbacks (Megaptera novaeangliae) migrate along much of Australia's coastline.

Koala — grunts and bellows — The high-pitched barks of females (to warn off a male) and the deep grunts and bellows of male koalas can be heard in eucalypt forests along Australia's east coast (if you're lucky). The surprisingly low-pitched mating call of the males is made possible by an extra pair of vocal folds. Koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus) are endangered in QLD, NSW and ACT.

Koel — 'koo-el' — The loud, ascending repetitive call of the male koel is heard along the coastal fringes of north and east Australia, particularly in the early morning. The eastern koel (Eudynamys orientalis) is a large migratory brood parasitic cuckoo — it lays eggs in other species' nests — that arrives in Australia to breed in September/October.

Kookaburra — ‘koo-koo-koo-koo-koo-kaa-kaa-kaa' — The loud, cackling laugh of the aptly named laughing kookaburra is actually a territorial call, made by pairs or family groups to define their patch. The famous call can be heard throughout QLD, NSW, VIC and SA (where they're endemic) and in TAS and south-west WA (where they're introduced). The laughing kookaburra (Dacelo novaeguineae) is a type of kingfisher.

Lyrebird — a famous mimic — The superb lyrebird is famous for its ability to imitate anything from local birds to chainsaws to cats — so what should we judge them on? It also has its own song that includes whistles and cackling notes, as well as a loud alarm shriek. The superb lyrebird (Menura novaehollandiae) can be heard in VIC, TAS, NSW and part of QLD.

Magpie — melodious carolling — A beautiful songbird, the Australian magpie makes a wide variety of chortling and carolling calls, many of which are complex and vary by location. They can be heard across most of Australia, wherever there is a combination of trees and adjacent open areas. Magpies (Gymnorhina tibicenhas) are territorial and live in small to large family groups.

Moaning frog — 'ooohhhugh' — The eerie, drawn-out call of the rotund, aptly named moaning frog can be heard along the coast of south-west WA in swampy and bushland environments. The male moaning frog (Heleioporus eyrei) calls from within his burrow to attract a mate. These froggy moans can be heard from February to June.

Possum (brushtail) — grunts and screeches — Night-time coughing grunts and screeches are the vocal calling-card of the large common brushtail possum. This unsettling noise can be heard across most of Australia in both natural and urban areas. The brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula) calls to stay in touch with other possums in its posse, as well as to establish and defend territory.

KarenHBlack, Getty Images

Possum (ringtail) — squeeky chirrups — The sounds of this possum are hard to describe, but they're softer and completely different to the common brushtail possum. The scratched chirrups can be heard in in a a variety of habitats, including urban areas, in QLD, NSW, TAS and SA. Common ringtail possums (Pseudocheirus peregrinus) are the only possum species where the male is known to help care for the young.

Raven — 'ah-ah-ah-aaaah' — The Australian raven can be heard across mainland Australia in almost all habitats, including urban areas. Their signature call — a slow, high "ah-ah-ah-aaaah" with the last note drawn out — is used to mark territory. Australian ravens (Corvus coronoides) usually hang out in pairs, but can also congregate in larger numbers.

Sugar glider — ‘yap, yap' — Nocturnal sugar gliders give a surprisingly dog-like and repetitive ‘yip' or ‘yap' to alert others in their small group of danger. They can also growl to defend their territories. Sugar gliders (Petaurus breviceps) can be heard in forests and woodlands in QLD, NT, NSW, VIC, TAS and northern WA. They use their long bushy tail for stability and steering when gliding.

tracielouise, Getty Images

Sulphur-crested cockatoo — 'raa-aach' — This large iconic parrot makes loud, raucous screeches, as well as a number of sharp squawks and shrill whistles, and can also mimic other animals, including human words and phrases. Sulphur-crested cockatoos (Cacatua galerita) can be heard in forested and urban areas in QLD, NT, NSW, VIC, TAS, SA and around Perth, WA (where they've been introduced).

Tasmanian devil — 'raaaach' — Once abundant on mainland Australia, the grunts, snorts, growls and screams of the world's largest surviving carnivorous marsupial can now only be heard in TAS. The territorial, solitary Tasmanian devil (Sarcophilus harrisii) is classified as endangered and has been severely impacted by a transmissible cancer called devil facial tumour disease (DFTD).

Whipbird — whipcrack followed by 'choo-choo'' — An iconic sound of the bush in QLD, NSW and VIC, the whipbird's call consists of a drawn-out whip crack sound, made by the male, often followed with a sharp "choo choo" (it varies regionally) in response. Eastern whipbirds (Psophodes olivaceus) live in wet habitats, including rainforest, eucalypt forest and dense scrub near watercourses.

Yellow-bellied glider —shrieks and gurgles — Described as 'very vocal' the strange noises of these nocturnal marsupials can be heard in eucalypt forests in QLD, NSW and VIC. They live in family groups, and their calls can be heard up to 500m away. Yellow-bellied gliders (Petaurus australis) are vulnerable or endangered in some areas due to forest clearing.

The carolling magpie, bellowing koala, eerie bush stone-curlew … or the petrifying Tassie devil?

It's time to make a call!

You can choose up to three animals in this first round of voting , which will finish at midnight on August 10.

Then things get serious: on August 11 we'll cut the list to a Top 10 and everyone can vote again.

The winning sound will be announced — in a live blog — on Friday August 18.

Audio credits: Marc Anderson, www.wildambience.com (boobook, grey butcherbird, fairywren, grey-headed flying fox, kookaburra, lyrebird; magpie, common ringtail possum, common brushtail possum, raven, sugar glider, sulphur-crested cockatoo, whipbird). ABC (cicadas, banjo frog, green tree frog, Tasmanian devil). James Lambert (yellow-tailed black cockatoo XC607120; bush stone-curlew XC589420; galah XC726093 ; koel XC769768: (ABC licensed). B. Law, NSW DPI (koala, yellow-bellied glider). Dale Roberts (moaning frog). David Edwards (barking owl XC521643 (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)) Claudje (dingo, ALA, (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)). Yong Ding Li (gang-gang cockatoo, XC152408 (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0))

Image credits: Lorraine Phelan (banjo frog); Mick Roderick (yellow-tailed black cockatoos); Geoff Whalan/Flickr (bush-stone curlew); Tatters/Flickr.com (grey butcherbird); Aaron Booth/Flickr (greengrocer cicada); Kym Farnik/Flickr (superb fairywren); Alex Maisey (lyrebird); Wes Read (moaning frog); Dick Daniels, Wikimedia commons (Australian raven); Greg Miles/Flickr (whipbird); David Cook, Flikr (yellow-bellied glider). All other images sourced from Getty Images and ABC.