Aerial alarm call to predators

[SilverRose]

Hello everyone!

I've been reading an old thread where everyone's sharing stories of their roosters protecting the hens from aerial predators i.e. hawks, vultures etc.

I've never heard an aerial alarm call as I only have hens. Could anybody record their rooster doing it and post it here or directly to me please?!

I'd be very grateful

Thank you!

 

[Stiggy]

I've never heard it either but my hens do the call as well, the matriarch/ top hen does the calling as well as the rooster especially when there's a threat ( the rooster runs away the hen calls out the warning) . however roosters are said to be more fearsome to the preditors as they are bigger, make more noise and have the spurs for fighting. also they see it as their job to protect. a top hen will do the same thing to a degree

 

[Nambroth]

The sound is like a trill, or a strange sort of purring sound. I don't have a recording of it, but it is similar to this:

 

[centrarchid]

More than one call produced. Maybe aerial species specific calls. Calls can also indicate threat level. Hawk flying in distance. Hawk approaching. Hawk coming in for attack. Call also giving when a female is seen flying overhead in apparent attempt to make her land.

Hens also produce such calls although that intended for an audience that is much closer. Some of communication may even be directed at hawk as indicated by how my games interact with Coopers Hawks when chicks present. Chicks can also make a call.

One of the days I will get a falconer to visit so chickens can be stimulated to make calls for recordings.

 

[Nambroth]

Yes-- that is true. The call is varied and changes depending on the threat and how the chicken reprieves it. I have observed all aerial predator warnings to be trills, though. The pitch, volume, length... etc... of the trill varies.

Ground predators get a much different series of warning calls.