Yes, there is a bird species that makes a call that sounds similar to human snoring. The white-throated rail is a medium-sized marsh bird found in scattered locales across the world that is known for its distinct vocalizations that sound like pig-like snorts and snores.
Many birds are recognized more by their unique songs and calls than by their appearance. While some birds have pleasant, melodious calls, others make sounds that are strange, bizarre or even unpleasant to human ears. One such bird is the peculiar white-throated rail which inhabits wetlands from Asia to Africa and makes snorting and snoring-like vocalizations.
White-Throated Rail
The white-throated rail (Amaurornis chinensis) is a medium-sized marsh bird in the rail family that inhabits freshwater wetlands throughout parts of Asia, Africa and Australasia. It is typically around 13-15 inches long with brownish-olive plumage on the head, wings and back along with white underparts and distinctive white markings on the face including a white throat.
This primarily nocturnal species spends most of its time walking slowly along dense vegetation at water’s edge while foraging for small fish, amphibians, crustaceans, insects and plant seeds. During the day, white-throated rails typically stay hidden under cover. They nest on the ground in reed beds and raise chicks that are able to feed themselves soon after hatching.
Range and Habitat
The white-throated rail has an extremely widespread but disjunct global range across tropical and temperate regions. They are found widely across southern and eastern Asia from India to Japan and southeast Asia. Isolated populations occur in sub-Saharan Africa and northern Australia. They inhabit freshwater wetlands including marshes, ponds, streams and rice paddies densely vegetated with reeds, sedges and grasses.
Vocalizations
The white-throated rail is named for one of its most prominent and peculiar vocalizations – a whistled “keow, keow, keow” call sounding similar to human snoring. Both males and females vocalize in this manner, producing the snoring-like sounds repeatedly while foraging or communicating with mates or offspring.
In addition to the snoring calls, white-throated rails have an extensive vocabulary of other squeaks, whistles and grunts. These include barks, high-pitched chirps, pig-like grunts and snorts and various clicking and whirring sounds.
Other Birds That Make Unusual Sounds
While the white-throated rail may be the bird species most renowned for making snoring noises, it is just one of many birds worldwide that has vocalizations very unlike typical birdsong. Here are a few other birds with bizarre or unusual calls:
The Swinhoe’s Snipe
The Swinhoe’s snipe is a stocky shorebird that inhabits marshes in southeast Asia. During its breeding displays, the male performs a hooting, popping, whistling sound by vibrating tail feathers. This produces a unique pulsating, electronic-sounding vocalization.
The Andean Cock-of-the-Rock
Males of this tropical mountain forest bird native to South America make a loud, raspy call that sounds like a combination of squealing and screeching. They gather in groups called “leks” to perform mating displays and calls.
The Black Jacobin
This hummingbird found in parts of Central and South America produces a strange sizzling, rattling sound with its tail feathers during mating displays.
The Great Potoo
This unusual looking nocturnal bird of South and Central America makes haunting wailing cries that sound like those of a human baby or a crying wolf.
The Lyrebird
Lyrebirds of Australia mimic almost any sound from chainsaws to camera shutters. Their elaborate vocalizations also incorporate other birdsongs and various noises from their environment.
Why Do Some Birds Make Weird Calls?
There are a few key reasons why certain bird species make such unusual or un-birdlike sounds:
- As mating calls to attract potential partners
- As part of courtship displays performed to impress prospective mates
- To delineate and defend territory against rivals
- To signal alarm or communicate with family groups
- As part of predator deterrence strategies
- To expand vocal repertoire and imitation abilities (such as with lyrebirds)
The snoring rails likely utilize their snorts to communicate with mates and family groups within the dense marsh vegetation where visibility is low. The snooring calls carry well and stand out, helping the birds locate each other. Their grunting and snoring may also help deter potential predators.
Conclusion
The peculiar snoring call of the white-throated rail is certainly one of the more bizarre vocalizations in the avian world. It serves as an excellent example of the incredible diversity and novelty shown by some birds around the world when it comes to producing distinctive sounds. So next time you hear a noise that sounds like loud snoring, check to see if it could be coming from a vocal white-throated rail somewhere nearby!
