THE sound of birdsong and a wolf's howl couldn't be more different – but what if that isn't always the case?
Can a bird make more terrifying sounds than just chirps and actually let out a wolf's howl?
Verdict:
TRUE
The bird with this "special talent" is the common loon (Gavia immer), a species commonly found in North America.
Loons have four distinct types of calls – tremolo, yodel, hoot and wail, with each serving a different purpose.
The tremolo sounds like a quivering laugh that they use when they're being disturbed. The hoot, a softer bird call, is used to socialise with other birds and the yodel is more of territorial call by male loons.
Its wail, however, is used to locate other loons over long distances and this can eerily sound like a wolf's howl.
So if you're ever out in the North American wilderness and hear a mysterious wolf-like cry, you might not be in danger from a pack of wolves. It could just be a family of loons trying to find their way back to each other.
References:
https://www.livescience.com/
