At night, birds come to life and sing beautiful melodies that fill the air. Whether you are a seasoned birder or enjoy listening to birds, here are some of the most stunning birds that love to sing at night.
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What Night Bird Sounds Like a Frog?
The American Robin is an iconic bird that many people recognize. But did you know that this familiar songster also makes a frog-like croak at night? The robin’s melody is often described as a “cheer-up cheer o’ we cheer up.”
How To Identify One Note Bird Call at Night?
The Chuck-will’s-widow is a nocturnal bird known for its haunting, one-note call at night. While this birdsong may remind you of a fog horn or foghorn, the call is similar to a horse’s whinny.
What Night Bird Sounds Like Squeaky Toy?
The Bell Hummingbird is a tiny bird with a noisy song. At night, the hummingbird’s squeaky toy-like call can be heard from afar, making it a favorite among bird enthusiasts.
Birds That Sing at Night
This list includes some of the most common nocturnal singers in the avian world.
1. Northern Mockingbird
- Scientific name: Mimus polyglottos
- Length: 20-25 cm
- Weight: 45-55 g
- Wingspan: 31-35 cm
With its gray feathers and long tail, the Northern Mockingbird is easily recognizable by bird watchers. The birds are known for their melodic singing and often mimic the songs of other birds, making them a favorite among those who love to listen to birds at night.
2. Common Loon
- Scientific name: Gavia immer
- Length: 60-100 cm
- Weight: 1.6-2.5 kg
- Wingspan: 125-145 cm
The Common Loon is a large, graceful bird well-known for its haunting calls at night. During the breeding season, adult birds will make a series of wailing calls while flapping their wings, making it one of the most amazing birdsongs at night.
3. Hermit Thrush
- Scientific name: Catharus guttatus
- Length: 14-18 cm
- Weight: 25-32 g
- Wingspan: 25-30 cm
The Hermit Thrush is a small songbird found throughout North America. This bird has a beautiful, melodious song at night that some compare to soft bells or flutes. With its distinctive white eye ring and spotted breast, the Hermit Thrush is easy to recognize.
4. Eastern Screech-Owl
- Scientific name: Megascops asio
- Length: 16-24 cm
- Weight: 120-250 g
- Wingspan: 45-61 cm
The Eastern Screech-Owl is one of the most common birds that sing at night. These birds have large, colorful eyes, and you can find them in old forests with dense undergrowth. At night, the birds make a distinct trilling call you can hear from miles away. This owl makes this call to mark its territory.
5. Great Reed Warbler
- Scientific name: Acrocephalus arundinaceus
- Length: 15-20 cm
- Weight: 22-35 g
- Wingspan: 25-30 cm
The Great Reed Warbler is a small songbird found in wetlands across Europe, Asia, and Africa. These birds have beautiful melodies, often described as squeaky toys or creaking doors. You can hear its song as they call each other from their reed-filled habitat at night.
6. Common Nightingale
- Scientific name: Luscinia megarhynchos
- Length: 16 cm
- Weight: 35-30 g
- Wingspan: 25 cm
The Common Nightingale is a small, highly vocal songbird throughout Europe and Asia. These birds are known for their loud and beautiful songs, often described as birdsong “in full flood.” At night, the birds sing from high perches in bushes or trees.
7. Barn Owl
- Scientific name: Tyto alba
- Length: 25-40 cm
- Weight: 250-570 g
- Wingspan: 80-110 cm
Like other owls, the barn owl is nocturnal. It hunts and sings at night. This medium-sized owl has a distinctive heart-shaped face, known for its piercing yellow eyes and ghostly white feathers. The birds are silent fliers, using their excellent hearing and night vision to hunt small birds, rodents, and insects.
8. Yellow-Breasted Chat
- Scientific name: Icteria virens
- Length: 18 cm
- Weight: 22-30 g
- Wingspan: 70-80 cm
The Yellow-Breasted Chat is a large songbird found in North America. These birds are known for their distinct, chattering calls, which sound like a mix of bird and machine. At night, the birds are often found in densely-forested areas, singing from low perches.
9. American Robin
- Scientific name: Turdus migratorius
- Length: 25 cm
- Weight: 65-85 g
- Wingspan: 30-40 cm
The American Robin is a familiar sight across North America, known for its distinct reddish-orange breast. These birds sing throughout the day but are primarily active at night. At night, you can hear robins singing in open fields or forest edges, using their melodious songs to defend their territory.
10. European Robin
- Scientific name: Erithacus rubecula
- Length: 13 cm
- Weight: 17-22 g
- Wingspan: 22 cm
Like the American Robin, the European Robin is a small songbird across Europe and Asia. These birds are well-known for their beautiful and striking songs.
11. Upland Sandpiper
- Scientific name: Bartramia longicauda
- Length: 30 cm
- Weight: 170-200 g
- Wingspan: 55 cm
The Upland Sandpiper is a large wader found in open grasslands, tall grasses, or marshes across North America.
12. Killdeer
- Scientific name: Charadrius vociferus
- Length: 45 cm
- Weight: 75-128 g
- Wingspan: 60 cm
The Killdeer is a common sight across North America, typically found in open grasslands and farmland. These birds are well-known for their distinctive calls, often described as a loud “kill dee-dee.”
13. Black-Crowned Night-Heron
- Scientific name: Nycticorax nycticorax
- Length: 60 cm
- Weight: 730-990 g
- Wingspan: 115 cm
The Black-Crowned Night-Heron is a large wading bird found in wetlands across the world. These birds are known for their distinctive calls and loud chattering sounds at night. These birds are often found near water, wading or hunting for small birds and fish at night.
14. Black Rail
- Scientific name: Laterallus jamaicensis
- Length: 10-15 cm
- Weight: 35 g
- Wingspan: 25 cm
The Black Rail is a small, secretive bird in marshes and wetlands across North America. These birds are known for their high-pitched calls and mysterious nature, often heard but rarely seen. They are most active at night, singing from dense marshes and reed beds.
15. Great Potoo
- Scientific name: Nyctibius grandis
- Length: 48-60 cm
- Weight: 360-650 g
- Wingspan: 70-90 cm
The Great Potoo is a large, nocturnal bird found in the tropical forests of Central and South America. These birds are known for their distinct, owl-like calls.
16. Barred Owl
- Scientific name: Strix varia
- Length: 40-50 cm
- Weight: 470-950 g
- Wingspan: 100-110 cm
The Barred Owl is a large, nocturnal bird in North America’s forests. These birds are known for their distinct hoots. They are excellent hunters, using their sharp eyesight and hearing to catch small birds and other prey.
17. Eastern Whip-poor-will
- Scientific name: Antrostomus vociferus
- Length: 22-27 cm
- Weight: 45-65 g
- Wingspan: 45-50 cm
The Eastern Whip-poor-will is a small, nocturnal bird across the eastern US and Canada. These birds are known for their distinctive, high-pitched calls.
Wrap Up
Many amazing birds sing at night whether you are a seasoned birder or love listening to birds. From the hummingbird’s bell-like whistles to the American Robin’s frog-like croaks, these birds are truly magical and awe-inspiring. So if you are looking for an exciting new birdsong to listen to, check out the birds on this list!