Top 10 Creepiest Real Life Animal Sounds

top 10 creepiest animal sounds

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’ll be counting down our picks for the top 10 creepiest animal sounds.

For this list, we’ll be going over some of the most unsettling noises made by animals.

If there’s a creepy animal sound that you think should’ve been on our list, make sure to share it in the comments!

#10: Goat

You’d think such a relatively common farm animal would sound mundane. But goats can produce some downright unsettling noises! They have the ability to make a variety of sounds. While you may be most familiar with their casual bleating, they can sound like people when they’re excited, scared or just when they randomly feel like it. When a goat lets out a yell that sounds like a human screaming, it can make you want to let out a shout of your own. It’s also creepy to think that they can vocalize like humans while having horns and a willingness to eat pretty much anything. Wait. Did we just create a new horror villain?

#9: Madagascar Hissing Cockroach

Just the thought of being around a bug that makes noise is cause for concern. So it makes sense that the creepiest of these sounds comes from one of the most unnerving insects alive. Native to Madagascar, hissing cockroaches can grow to a disturbing length of around 2 to 3 inches. Unlike most noisy bugs, their hissing sound is caused when they release air from the openings on their abdomen - called spiracles. Perhaps the most baffling fact about hissing cockroaches is that some people willingly keep them as pets. We prefer to hang around animals that don’t give us the heebie jeebies, but to each their own.

#8: Screaming Hairy Armadillo

It’s kind of right there in the name, isn’t it? This noisy mammal is mainly found in South America. True to its name, this armadillo is much hairier than the other members of its species. It also typically tends to grow to just over a foot in length. While its small size and physical features already make it stand out among other armadillos, its most distinctive feature is its cry. Screaming hairy armadillos are known to whine plaintively like a human infant if they’re disturbed. And if you don’t think a scaly, hairy baby sized animal screaming in your arms is strange, then you probably already own one of these screechy creatures.

#7: Elk

Given that deer aren’t exactly known for being vocal, it might be surprising to learn that elk can make noise. But they do.. .and it’s creepy. When you hear these large mammals emitting shockingly disturbing mating calls, they’re engaging in a process known as bugling. The males - or bulls - belt out long, eerie calls that sound like a cross between a high-pitched squeal and wood being scraped together. Their uncanny cries can be heard for miles and can instantly send shivers down the spines of unprepared hikers. While we don’t doubt bugling is helpful for attracting female elk - also known as cows - the sound is bound to make humans want to run in the opposite direction.

#6: Barn Owl

What was that unearthly screech we just heard in the middle of the night? Is it a demon? A banshee? No, it’s an… owl? While most owls are known for their hooting, barn owls aren’t. Instead, they have a distinctive screech that would put a lot of supernatural creatures to shame. Given that their round faces and dark eyes already give them a ghostly appearance, it’s fitting that they have a haunting call to match. Even when you’re able to see them shriek, their vocalizations are still unsettling. Now try to imagine walking through the woods after dark and hearing their voices screeching through the still night. We don’t think you’ll be sleeping much after that.

#5: Tasmanian Devil

“Looney Tunes” might have underplayed how terrifying these down under beasts can be! The typical Tasmanian devil is small in stature. But they make up for their small size with their loud and aggressive barks, howls, and screams. When a group of explorers first reached the country of Tasmania, they were disturbed by the creature’s demonic yowls. The marsupial’s horrifying vocalizations inspired the explorers to nickname the animal “Beelzebub's pup”. If you thought the terrifying named animal’s bark was worse than its bite, you’d sadly be mistaken. The Tasmanian devil actually has the strongest bite force relative to its body mass of any living carnivorous mammal in the world!

#4: Lynx

Lynxes are medium sized wild cats notable for their tufted ears. Native to Europe, Asia, and North America, these felines can make some rather cute meowing noises. But if two lynxes get into a dispute, things can get extremely spooky! In display of dominance, the felines will try to yowl louder than the other. These matches can be very unsettling to witness. Their creepy vocalizations sound like a mix of a witch doing a cat impression and a squeaky door trying out its bass singing voice. If you heard two lynxes confronting each other in the wild, we wouldn’t blame you if you packed everything up and went home.

#3: Red Fox

What does the fox say? You might not want to listen. Although Red foxes have long been seen as a threat to farm animals, there have been recent attempts at domesticating them. Maybe having them in our homes will get us used to the way they “talk.” While some of their vocalizations can be pretty endearing, they can also make sounds that are downright terrifying. Their mating calls alone can sound like a human shrieking in pain. We don’t envy any new fox pet owners. Hopefully their neighbors won’t call the cops because of the unsettling sounds the fox is making.

#2: Laughing Kookaburra

The famous Australian nursery rhyme about kookaburras was right all along – these birds really do laugh! However, while the song mentions “how gay their lives must be,” it doesn’t say that how wicked their laughter-like vocalizations sound. While they sometimes sound like monkeys trying to attract a mate, they can also sound like an evil villain snickering about their plans to take over the world. A laughing kookaburra’s odd chuckling is sure to scare anyone who isn’t ready to be overwhelmed by the sound of the bird’s natural voice. It’s especially unsettling when large groups of them start a chorus of creepy giggling. We’re honestly not sure how Australians can stand being around kookaburras once they start their diabolical avian snickering.

Before we get to our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions:

Elephant Seal
Males Have Calls That Sound Like Boat Engines

Hippopotamus
They May Look Soft, But These Deadly Animals Have an Evil Laugh

Brushtail Possum
These Marsupials May Be Cute, But Their Chuckle Is Sinister

Koala
Cuddly Critters – Guttural Mating Calls

Elephant
Everyone Knows They Trumpet, But Their Rumbling Roars Can Be Unnerving, Too

#1: Rattlesnake

If we were to nominate a universal “oh CRAP” animal sound for the western hemisphere, we’d pick the rattlesnake’s namesake noise. These reptiles are present throughout the Americas. Any person or animal who has encountered or even heard of them knows to be very afraid of their trademark sound. When rattlesnakes vibrate their tail segments, they send out an ominous noise that tells potential threats to get away from it. Given that their bite is very venomous, any living being with a drop of self-preservation knows to hightail it away from the noise as fast as possible. And they better move swiftly. Rattlesnakes can strike very quickly after you hear them.