Nocturnal animals
Have you ever woken at night or in the early hours to an eerie call from the backyard, or the sound of something rustling in the bushes nearby? What about a chorus of croaks loud enough to wake the dead, or a wild thumping on your roof?Lots of Queensland's most interesting creatures can only be heard at night. These animals - which come out after dark to feed and socialise - are called 'nocturnal'. Other animals are active during the day, but join in the after-hours racket for particular reasons. The noises they make can tell you lots about their habits, hang-ups and lovelife.
Animals get noisy after dark for many reasons. It could be because …
It's their day. For nocturnal animals, life happens at night. Life is
noisy!
It's their patch. They're defending territory from nocturnal marauders.
They're awake. They've been disturbed by bright moonlight.
They're lonely. Many creatures call to attract a mate.
They're in love. Breeding season can be especially noisy.
It's dinner-time. They're eating.
They're on the move. Local and international migration may happen at
night.
Some nocturnal noise-makers are common Queenslanders. Most of us have heard possums grunting, or male frogs calling to females. Others are interstate or overseas visitors. For example, you'll only hear the loud shouts of the Channel-billed cuckoo in late winter and early spring, when it holidays here from New Guinea and Indonesia.
Read on and learn more about things that go bump in the night, especially the ones you hear but don't know. Use our descriptions, images and calls to identify your mysterious nocturnal visitors!
Animal sounds on this feature have been provided by Nature Sound. Digital sound recording specialists in natural and environmental sounds, Nature Sound produce a number of CDs on rainforest sounds, frog and bird calls. These sounds are copyright and cannot be copied without permission from Nature Sound PO Box 256 Mullumbimby NSW 2482, email nemarotu@om.com.au
Last updated: 01 September 2005
