According to nan Arkansas Audubon Society (AAS), location are almost 430 vertebrate type successful Arkansas – a number of those are very progressive during nan night!
Examples of nocturnal birds successful Arkansas see nan communal nighthawk, American robin, black-crowned nighttime heron, barred owl, bluish mockingbird, and galore others.
Do immoderate of them sound familiar? Let’s jump successful and spot what each of these looks and sounds like!
Nocturnal Birds In Arkansas
1. Northern Mockingbird

- Scientific name: Mimus polyglottos
Northern mockingbirds are birds you will astir often perceive singing astatine nighttime successful Arkansas. The nighttime singers are often young, unattached males aliases older males without mates.
They are astir noisy from March to August (their breeding season) and from precocious September to November (while establishing wintertime territories).
To trim their perpetually annoying singing, see utilizing vertebrate nets connected trees aliases placing cardboard cutouts of predators for illustration hawks aliases owls.
These birds are year-round residents successful AR and are aptly named, arsenic they tin mimic complete 200 different songs and imitate up to 35 species.
Their mimicry extends to sounds for illustration rusty hinges, car alarms, cackling hens, and canine barks, sometimes indistinguishable moreover pinch physics analysis.
Read More: Loud nighttime birds recovered successful Texas
2. Yellow-breasted Chat

- Scientific Name: Icteria virens
Yellow-breasted chats tin beryllium often heard singing successful nan greeting and evening during summertime successful Arkansas. They will besides moreover singing astatine nighttime during nan tallness of their breeding play (May to July).
Often heard than seen, they are communal astir dense, brushy areas and hedgerows. These birds person a unsocial operation of cackles, clucks, whistles, and hoots successful their songs, on pinch harsh “chak” calls.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2d/Icteria_virens_-_Yellow-breasted_Chat_XC254465.mp3
Yellow-breasted Chat Song | Source: Jonathon Jongsma, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
They tin mimic different birds, sometimes confusing birdwatchers. During nan breeding season, they go much conspicuous, singing from exposed spots and flying openly while gurgling their songs.
3. American Robin

- Scientific name: Turdus migratorius
American robins are songbirds and communal sights successful forests, lawns, and suburbs crossed AR, passim nan full year.
As wintertime fades and daylight increases, they will beryllium nan first birds you perceive singing conscionable arsenic dawn approaches, giving them nan nickname “wake robins.”
The opus is described arsenic a “cheery” carol consisting of a drawstring of 10 aliases truthful clear whistles; American robins besides person a crisp “yeep” siren telephone aliases a mumbled “tuk” erstwhile communicating pinch 1 another.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4e/American_Robin.ogg
Source: G. McGrane, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
However, erstwhile nan sun goes down, their opus changes. From sunset until it gets very dark, they adhd soft, almost whispered notes to their singing, making their opus sound elegant and intricate.
Read More: Birds you perceive chirping astatine nighttime successful SC
4. Killdeer

- Scientific Name: Charadrius vociferus
Killdeers tin beryllium heard passim nan state. They inhabit unfastened areas for illustration sandbars, mudflats, fields, and moreover municipality locations.
Killdeers are progressive time and night, pinch noticeable nighttime activity, particularly successful early outpouring and precocious summer. They often congregate successful places for illustration promenade parking tons and well-lit shot fields, engaging successful socializing, calling, and searching for food. Their sanction comes from their loud, piercing calls resembling “kill-deer, kill-deer.”
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/97/Charadrius_vociferus.ogg
Killdeer Call | Source: Unknown author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
5. American Woodcock

- Scientific Name: Scolopax minor
American woodcocks, mini elusive birds, tin beryllium heard successful Arkansas year-round from dusk to dawn. Look for them successful fields adjacent forests, particularly astir powerline cuts.
They’re challenging to spot owed to their nocturnal habits and camouflaged colors. Listen for their unique “peent” telephone connected nan crushed aliases twittering in nan air.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/98/Scolopax_minor_-_American_Woodcock_XC78342.mp3
American Woodcock Call | Source: Jonathon Jongsma, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Read More: What birds chirp astatine nighttime successful Tennessee?
6. Wilson’s Snipe

- Scientific Name: Gallinago delicata
Like American woodcocks, Wilson’s snipes are besides recovered successful Arkansas. Often heard singing during wintertime nights there, they for illustration bedewed fields, marshes, and bogs. Listen for them astatine dawn and dusk.
Recognize them by their “tuk-tuk” telephone from nan ground. They besides person an intriguing winnowing show flight, creating chopped sounds successful nan air. Males alert precocious successful circles, past dive, producing longer-lasting sounds. You tin observe this behaviour some time and night.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/ca/Gallinago_delicata_-_Wilson%27s_Snipe_XC609619.mp3
Wilson’s Snipe Call | Source: Doug Hynes, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
They are besides communal successful Louisiana; cheque retired different nighttime birds heard location successful this article.
7. Eastern Screech-Owl

- Scientific Name: Megascops asio
Eastern screech owls are small, stocky, and strictly nocturnal. They unrecorded successful nan woodlands of Arkansas adjacent h2o and little elevations year-round.
They’re astir vocal adjacent sunset, becoming quieter arsenic nan nighttime progresses. Calls summation astir afloat moons and earlier storms. Listen for nan “whinny” and trilling tremolo calls. In summertime (June-August), watch for juvenile hissing sounds.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5a/Megascops_asio_-_Eastern_Screech_Owl_-_XC75829.ogg
Eastern Screech-owl Call | Source: Jonathon Jongsma, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Read More: Oregon’s astir communal nighttime birds
8. Great Horned Owl

- Scientific Name: Bubo virginianus
Great horned owls, 1 of Arkansas’s largest raptors, tin beryllium heard singing chiefly aft acheronian and earlier dawn. These imperishable residents of nan authorities for illustration unfastened areas adjacent forests and make deep, large “ho-ho-hoo hoo hoo” sounds.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6f/Bubo_virginianus_-_Great_Horned_Owl_XC450919.mp3
Great Horned Owl Call | Source: Michael & Katie LaTour, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Females person higher-pitched calls, peaking aft midnight. They whitethorn singing successful duets successful wintertime aliases outpouring and person unique juvenile begging calls successful summer, sometimes resembling barn owls’ calls.
9. Barn Owl

- Scientific Name: Tyto alba
One of nan astir wide distributed type of owl successful nan world, barn owls are imperishable residents of Arkansas.
These medium-sized owls often person a “ghostly” appearance, particularly if seen astatine night, astir unfastened habitats, including grasslands, marshes, and cultivation areas.
Barn owls do not hoot and make bone-chilling screams instead. They hunt for rodents during nan nighttime and roost successful nest boxes, caves, character hollows, and aged buildings.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/43/Tyto_alba_-_Western_Barn_Owl_XC345927.mp3
Barn Owl Call | Source: Luis Gracia, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
They are rather communal passim nan USA and are besides portion of Florida’s database of nighttime birds.
10. Barred Owl

- Scientific Name: Strix varia
Barred owls are year-round Arkansas residents, recovered successful dense forests adjacent water. They’re progressive astatine night, known for their “who-cooks-for-you” opus and “hoo-ahhh” calls, often successful duets.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3b/Strix_varia_-_Northern_Barred_Owl_XC178042.mp3
Barred Owl Call | Source: Jonathon Jongsma, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Juveniles person a unsocial high-pitched raspy hissing sound. These monolithic owls person mottled brownish and achromatic plumage and dark, almost achromatic eyes.
Read More: List of Virginia’s nocturnal birds
11. Short-eared Owl

- Scientific Name: Asio flammeus
Short-eared owls, wide distributed worldwide isolated from successful Antarctica and Australia, sojourn Arkansas during winter. They’re often heard successful unfastened grasslands, including fields, marshes, and moreover airports.
These owls person striking yellowish eyes pinch achromatic rings, resembling mascara. While usually quiet, they nutrient “voo-hoo-hoo” calls.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e6/Short-eared_Owl.ogg
Short-eared Owl Call | Source: Jamescandless, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
They are mostly nocturnal but tin beryllium crepuscular and occasionally diurnal.
Read More: Michigan’s astir communal nighttime birds
12. Pied-billed Grebe

- Scientific Name: Podilymbus podiceps
Pied-billed grebes, mini and stocky h2o birds, are communal astir marshes and ponds of Arkansas passim nan year. Nocturnal by nature, you tin perceive their loud, whooping, cuckoo-like songs during nan night, often duetting pinch their mates.
Their brownish plumage, darkening connected nan crown and back, provides effective camouflage, making them a spot challenging to spot.
Read More: What birds singing astatine nighttime successful Oklahoma?
13. Eastern Whip-poor-will

- Scientific Name: Antrostomus vociferus
Eastern whip-poor-wills sojourn northwestern AR during nan breeding season. These cryptic nocturnal birds are heard much often than seen. They hide during nan day, typically successful conifer barrens and wood openings.
At dawn and dusk, they statesman singing their celebrated “whip-poor-will” song. Male whip-poor-wills make calls to people their breeding territory and to pull a mate.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e7/Whip-poor-will.ogg
Eastern whip-poor-will Call | Source: G. McGrane, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
They hunt astatine night, catching flying insects from nan ground. Similar to communal nighthawks, their unique telephone helps differentiate nan 2 species.
14. Common Nighthawk

- Scientific Name: Chordeiles minor
During nan summertime breeding play successful Arkansas, communal nighthawks tin beryllium heard singing astatine dawn and dusk. These medium-sized raptors pinch profoundly divided tails and agelong wings tin beryllium recovered successful prairies, forests, savannahs, and municipality areas.
These birds create a chopped peent sound and execute courtship displays pinch accelerated dives that nutrient a booming sound arsenic aerial rushes complete their wings.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4b/Chordeiles_minor.ogg
Common Nighthawk Call | Source: Unknown author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Common nighthawks are well-camouflaged during nan day, pinch gray, black, and brownish plumage and achromatic patches adjacent nan guidelines of their superior feathers.
15. Chuck-will’s-widow

- Scientific Name: Antrostomus carolinensis
Chuck-will’s-widows, nocturnal birds successful Arkansas, person unique features: large heads, short bills, and agelong tails. They’re astir progressive from April to August, peculiarly connected afloat aliases near-full satellite evenings.
They tin beryllium recovered successful conifer barrens and swamp edges, often camouflaged successful grayish to rufous plumage. These birds singing their “chuck-will’s-widow” songs, which you tin perceive during nan night.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cb/Chuck-will%27s-widow_birdcall.ogg
Chuck-will’s-widow Call | Source: James G. Howes, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
You mightiness person spotted them successful your headlights while driving arsenic they emotion to beryllium connected nan roads and roadsides astatine night.
16. Common Gallinule

- Scientific Name: Gallinula galeata
Common gallinules are medium-sized marsh birds pinch acheronian plumage, achromatic undertails, reddish frontal plates connected their heads, and unique agelong legs and toes.
In nan state, they are astir communal during nan summertime breeding play and for illustration freshwater wetlands pinch unfastened h2o and emergent vegetation.
They are astir progressive during dawn and dusk, becoming much vocal from April to June during nan breeding season. Listen for their “marsh chickenhearted sound” and azygous “clucks,” which are their astir commonly heard calls.
17. American Coot

- Scientific Name: Fulica americana
American coots are mini water birds pinch achromatic plumage, agleam achromatic beaks, reddish eyes, and yellow-green legs.
Although they lucifer ducks, American coots are only distantly related to them. These year-round residents of Arkansas tin beryllium seen and heard successful freshwater wetlands pinch unfastened h2o and emergent vegetation astir dawn and dusk.
They nutrient a crisp “poot” telephone and a screeching “kree” sound, and they are peculiarly noisy swimmers, truthful you whitethorn besides admit them by splashing h2o sounds.
Read More: What do immoderate communal nighttime birds from NC sound like?
18. Least Bittern

- Scientific Name: Ixobrychus exilis
Least bitterns are 1 of nan smallest heron type successful nan world. They tin beryllium heard astatine nighttime successful eastbound parts of Arkansas during their breeding play (May to August). They are much progressive astatine dawn and dusk and little vocal successful windy aliases rainy conditions.
Least bitterns are communal astir marshes pinch a operation of unfastened h2o and vegetation, often pinch cattails, phragmites, aliases lily pads. Males tin beryllium recognized by their soft “coo-coo-coo” and “reek-reek-reek” calls.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bb/Ixobrychus_exilis_-_Least_Bittern_XC251028.mp3
Least Bittern Call | Source: Niels Krabbe, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Identify them besides by their agelong legs, daggerlike bills, and orange, black, and achromatic plumage.
Read More: What birds singing nan astir astatine nighttime successful Ohio?
19. Black-crowned Night Heron

- Scientific Name: Nycticorax nycticorax
Black-crowned nighttime herons tin beryllium heard astir wooded swamps, ponds, lakes, and mangroves successful astir of Arkansas.
Unlike galore different herons, they’re progressive astatine nighttime aliases dusk and besides migrate successful flocks during nan night. Their sanction “Nycticorax” intends “night raven” successful Greek, reflecting their nocturnal habits and crow-like calls.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f6/Nycticorax_nycticorax_-_Black-crowned_Night_Heron_-_XC99573.ogg
Black-crowned Night Heron Call | Source: Jonathon Jongsma, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
These herons often bait fish, luring prey pinch thrown nutrient earlier striking pinch their agelong beaks.
20. Ovenbird

- Scientific name: Seiurus aurocapilla
Ovenbirds singing regularly astatine nighttime but astatine a comparatively debased opus rate. These mini migratory songbirds tin beryllium heard during summertime nights successful bluish parts of nan state.
Lister for their territorial rapid, resounding “tea-cher, tea-cher” opus consisting of 8-13 phrases. They besides person respective short calls, including nan “ple-bleep,” “whink,” and precocious “tsip.”
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/08/Ovenbird.ogg
Ovenbird Song | Source: G McGrane, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Ovenbirds sewage their sanction from nan nest they built called nan “oven” – it is simply a dome-like building placed connected nan crushed pinch a broadside entranceway that makes it lucifer a Dutch oven.
Read More: Pennsylvania’s astir communal nocturnal birds
What Birds Sing At Night In Arkansas?
The astir communal birds that singing astatine nighttime successful Arkansas are bluish mockingbirds.
Mockingbirds singing each nighttime are often young, unattached males aliases older males without a mate. In lawsuit you want to extremity their nighttime singing, effort to screen your character pinch vertebrate netting aliases adhd an owl/hawk cardboard cutout to scare them away.
You mightiness person besides heard yellow-breasted chats singing successful nan acheronian arsenic they telephone retired to nan females, American robins and their cheery carol, aliases moreover barn owls and their bone-chilling screams.
Read More: What birds chirp astatine nighttime successful Indiana?
Summary
Arkansas’s rich | avifauna is brimming pinch nocturnal birds. Some tin beryllium seen year-round there, for illustration respective owl type and bluish mockingbirds, while others, for illustration yellow-breasted chats, and communal nighthawks sojourn nan authorities only to breed.
In lawsuit you’ve stumbled upon aliases heard immoderate of these birds, we dream this guideline helped you place which ones they were.
Feel free to publication our different celebrated guides connected night birds commonly recovered successful NY and night birds commonly recovered successful GA.