Common Nocturnal Wildlife
They say that the nighttime is the right time, but it can also be a wild place filled with concerning noises. No matter where you live, there will likely be a selection of animals around to make startling noises from the darkness to unsettle you and turn you on your heels. Common urban wildlife that has nocturnal tendencies:- Opossums
- Bats
- Some rodents
- Some birds
- Owls
- Rabbits
- Foxes
Common Sounds of the Night
Raccoons are definitely a part of nature’s nocturnal madness. Still, because so many other animals make similar noises, it can be hard to figure out which are coming from raccoons and other typical urban nocturnal wildlife. Shared noises include:- Growling
- Hissing
- Chirping
- Whistling
- Screaming
- Barking
- Yelping
- Whining
Common Raccoon Sounds and Meanings
Since raccoons can name upwards of 200 different sounds, it wouldn’t be prudent for the purposes of general identification to attempt to differentiate between the pitches of howls. However, the identification of familiar sounds may help you determine whether or not you are staring down a raccoon with rabies or if you are between a mother raccoon and her babies.Illness
Growling, hissing, yowling, and screeching noisesBabies
Chirping, squeaking, purring, and cooing noisesAnger
Barking, hissing, and growling noisesCommunicating
Screeching, chittering, whistling, and chirpingMating
Screaming, yelping, whining, screeching, and squealingCommon Sounds When a Raccoon Is in Your Home
More often than not, you will not encounter a raccoon in the living room of your home. Raccoons make their way in through loose roofing or panelling and head for the attic to begin nesting. Raccoons, much like squirrels, love to use whatever materials are available to them to make their nests. Insulation from your walls, pieces of boxes from stored goods in the attics, chewed wires, or old wallpaper is all fair game for raccoon nesting. Raccoons love an attic because it is one of the least frequented areas of the home, mainly if it is a crawl space attic and it takes some effort for the homeowner to get inside. If a raccoon is living in your attic, you can expect to hear the following noises:- Thumping
- Dragging
- Scuttling
- Purring
- Whistling
- Scratching
- Screeching
- Chirping
