what does a raccoon sound like?

[msjones]

This seems like a stupid question, but here goes...
What sounds do raccoons make?
I know we have plenty of them around here, have even seen a group of 5 during broad daylight. I wonder if there are sounds to listen for when my hens are out of the coop/run for their afternoon hour of backyard fun. Do they squeak or make sounds to communicate?

 

[bukbugack]

Raccoons make a loud chattering sound, kind of difficult to describe exactly. However, I have only heard this sound when they are fighting among themselves at night. I'm pretty sure any raccoon on the prowl for your birds would not be announcing its presence. Better to be alert for your birds' alarm calls.
Those raccoons are pretty brazen coming out in daylight. We have lots of them here, but I've never seen one during the day.

 

[Iowa Roo Mom]

In my experience, it's usually the babes that chatter. Sounds a bit like this...

Adult coons will bark, growl, snarl, and even "hiss" when fighting or cornered. They can be nasty, so be careful.

 

[chookchick]

IME raccoons are pretty silent when on their own. They do make that chattering sound to communicate. But there is NOTHING like the sound of two coons fighting--it is the most gruesome, vicious snarling and grunting and squealing that you will ever hear. Once you have heard (and seen that) you will know how dangerous they can be. If you have seen them in broad daylight, I would not free-range unless you are there to supervise, and armed in some manner!

 

[Chook-A-Holic]

I wish I could begin to explain the god-awful noise they make when they get into the high powered electric fence. The screaming will literally make you get out of bed in the middle of the night. Sometimes the neighbors call the next day and ask, what was that noise in your backyard last night? I just tell them another dissatisfied customer looking for another place to get a chicken dinner.

Marty

 

[Julie_A]

When I saw this thread, a Jerry Clower story ran through my mind. LOL

 

[feathersnuggles]

Dofferent kinds of sounds... From my observations, I've heard low grunting and chattering when a mother raccoon is traveling at night with her young. Usually she will venture out into an open area first, then she will make some chatters and grunts after which you'll see the young ones step out, too.

The vicious screams they make are blood-curdling. I've run to our back door, in the middle of the night, thinking a puppy (or something) was being killed in our backyard trees. In the dark, I could see the tree limbs shaking as I heard snarls and screams. Then I found out it was the sound they make when they are mating.

About daytime sightings here in Seattle, I've seen them boldly strolling out from under my backyard cedars around 1pm in broad daylight, too. Some people have told me that raccoon populations have exploded. I think it's true. Right now I let my girls free range, only when I'm around (which kinda sucks). Three days ago I let them out around noon to free range the yard. A couple hours later, nearly 3pm, I put them into the run and closed the door, luckily. Within 15 minutes I heard a strange ruckus from my hens. I ran outside, thinking one of them was picking on the other .... but instead I find a HUGE raccoon lurking around the run, trying to get inside. There were NO sounds from him, but when he spotted me, he slide over the fence and under the neighbor's low deck. Ugh!! I've now been cleaning up a raccoon latrine I found along our back fence line. And I'm considering getting a large trap in order to remove the raccoon permanently, since I'm really nervous about having it (or them) living under the neighbor's deck. I'm sure they lick their chops when they hear my girls free ranging on the other side of the fence.

 

[Julie_A]

They can be so mean. I'll never forget watching one kill a rabbit on "Wild America" when I was a kid. Old Marty Stouffer's camera work left me with a lifetime of 'coon fear. If I could trap one and keep him from preying on my chickie babies, I'd sure do it!

 

[ella]

Last month there was a mother and 6 cubs under my neighbors birdfeeder (hate that bird feeder). When she saw me she made a low humming noise like a rubber band being strum. Never heard that before.

 

[RevaVirginia]

You're more apt to hear them scuttling about. They're pretty fearless with no one in sight and not shy about making noise.

Dead ones are "vewwy vewwy quiet"