Late Night Bird

[anothertorres]

i have these birds around the neighborhood that come out around midnight. wingspan is somewhere around 10", maybe larger. they make a ridiculous squeal while hunting around the street lights.

because it's too dark to make out what this bird looks like, can someone tell me what these nocturnal hunters are?

[Namphonny]

i have these birds around the neighborhood that come out around midnight. wingspan is somewhere around 10", maybe larger. they make a ridiculous squeal while hunting around the street lights.

because it's too dark to make out what this bird looks like, can someone tell me what these nocturnal hunters are?

Bats

[Crossy]

^^^ my thoughts exactly.

We get them in the bedroom occasionally, sweet little things that need gentle handling to get them out and release (Missus hates them and keeps the window closed when I'm not there).

[Geekfreaklover]

Could be nightjars - nocternal hunters that flock and look like this.

[Pitbullman1]

Becareful when handling Bats, as they are know carriers of Rabies!!!

[anothertorres]

definitely not bats. bats have a distinct chirp and manic flight pattern. these are larger than thai bats and have this incredibly loud and menacing screech to their call. maybe nightjars, i appreciate the feedback guys, thank you.

[hanno]

I still think they are bats, Nightjars usually have pretty melodious calls.

[Geekfreaklover]

I still think they are bats, Nightjars usually have pretty melodious calls.

True, I've never heard them call at all - they seem quite non-vocal. But if they are birds what other birds flock and hunt at night with a 10" wingspan apart from the Nightjar?

Could be bats - but I've never heard bats call too much either. Having watched millions at Koh Yai - not a squeak. I thought they communicated on a different sound wave.

[anothertorres]

not bats. bats don't sit on a wire and make this kinda noise. there were two of them i spotted (heard them from inside the house first) last night. i went out to finally see if i could have a look at them and they look like the size of a myna bird but with a very nasty hunting call. you could hear them a block away.

i know bats, these are definitely not bats. i will try and get some audio of their call. if close enough, maybe i can get a flash on them for a picture.

[hanno]

Hmm, if they were sitting on a wire than they are indeed not bats.

but I've never heard bats call too much either

That is wrong, though. I have a huge Fruitbat roost outside the hotel I work in and are they ever so vocal. You can hear them from a few hundred meters, both day and night. They do not use echolocation but have a good sense of sight.

Might they be owls? The calls that you describe do not fit any Nightjar or Frogmouth, at least not as far as I am aware.

[Goshawk]

these are larger than thai bats and have this incredibly loud and menacing screech to their call.

.. and around 10" wingspan and nocturnal ?

also you say..

not bats. bats don't sit on a wire and make this kinda noise.

I think you are almost certainly hearing/seeing the Spotted Owlet - very well noted for its screeching calls (unlike the other 2 Owlet species in Thailand that give a cleaner, softer note) and not uncommon around gardens/urban areas

[anothertorres]

these are larger than thai bats and have this incredibly loud and menacing screech to their call.

.. and around 10" wingspan and nocturnal ?

also you say..

not bats. bats don't sit on a wire and make this kinda noise.

I think you are almost certainly hearing/seeing the Spotted Owlet - very well noted for its screeching calls (unlike the other 2 Owlet species in Thailand that give a cleaner, softer note) and not uncommon around gardens/urban areas

you could be on to something. the way these two birds were hunting was very similar to an american redtail hawk or a regular barn yard owl. their flight and swoop technique was very hawk-like. i'll get audio, they are always around. i used to hear them in the distance when i lived down the road. i've just moved a kilometer and have noticed that the jungle behind me is the where they were coming from.

[Namphonny]

these are larger than thai bats and have this incredibly loud and menacing screech to their call.

.. and around 10" wingspan and nocturnal ?

also you say..

not bats. bats don't sit on a wire and make this kinda noise.

I think you are almost certainly hearing/seeing the Spotted Owlet - very well noted for its screeching calls (unlike the other 2 Owlet species in Thailand that give a cleaner, softer note) and not uncommon around gardens/urban areas

you could be on to something. the way these two birds were hunting was very similar to an american redtail hawk or a regular barn yard owl. their flight and swoop technique was very hawk-like. i'll get audio, they are always around. i used to hear them in the distance when i lived down the road. i've just moved a kilometer and have noticed that the jungle behind me is the where they were coming from.

The bats around my house in Minburi are certainly larger than 10" wingspan.

It is very easy to check - just go out with a handful of very small stones and throw them up one at a time when you see whatever it is - if they are bats one of them will soon follow a stone down nearly to ground level.

[doggie888888]

Someone told me they were plovers.

[hanno]

Red-wattled Plovers are diurnal and have a very distinctive, and loud call. Not really screeching, more like a very loud three-note whistle.

[Goshawk]

Red-wattled Plovers

OP's bird is certainly not these quite large, long legged field foragers.. would never be seen perched up on wires for one.. (would be too difficult for them to balance + i've never seen them do it)

Red-wattled Lapwings i snapped recently

.

i'm pretty sure as i said earlier & based on his description, that a screeching Spotted Owlet is what he has visiting his locale after dark.

Can't find an example of their calls on the web for OP to listen too, but here's what they look like (they are active during the day, but are primarly nocturnal. At night would be an obvious small silouhette probably 'bobbing' up and down once it knows its been spotted, or it spots you. Get a good torch and 'beam' one next time they're around)

[hanno]

There is a call of Spotted Owlet here: http://www.xeno-canto.org/asia/browse.php?...y=spotted+owlet

[anothertorres]

The bats around my house in Minburi are certainly larger than 10" wingspan.

It is very easy to check - just go out with a handful of very small stones and throw them up one at a time when you see whatever it is - if they are bats one of them will soon follow a stone down nearly to ground level.

not bats.

i've had a thing for birds since i was a young boy. i was city raised my whole life and if there is one thing i know, it's what bats look like. and i do believe your Minburi's have over 10" wingspan. with that being said, bats are the easiest identifyable bird no matter where you are in the world. no one wonders "is that a bat?". it either is or it isn't a bat

[anothertorres]

There is a call of Spotted Owlet here: http://www.xeno-canto.org/asia/browse.php?...y=spotted+owlet

yep, that's it! put a couple above you on a wire while they're hunting and you've got the most insane sound. thank you to everyone for your help and comments. i'll still try and get a pic/audio from these guys.

Edited September 2, 2009 by anothertorres

[Tomissan]

This bird dog has been hanging around my house for sometime.

[twschw]

Just a side note: a bat is a mammal not a bird

[djgadget]

It sounds to me like an Owl. We have loads of them where I stay in Bangna, on a golf course.

DJ

[FaxFlora]

[anothertorres]

here it is. loud as all get out.

[Goshawk]

^^ good record shot of a Spotted Owlet.. you get it in a torch beam ?

[anothertorres]

he was sitting on the wire for about 10 minutes. i was able to pull out my DSLR and leave the shutter open for 25 seconds to pull in as much light as possible. didn't want to put a beam on him in fear he'd fly away before i could get a shot of him. again, there were 2 on the wire but when i came back outside with camera equipment, only the 1 was left on the wire. i tried walking up to him and get a closer shot but i spooked him and he flew off.