According to nan Minnesota Ornithologists’ Union Records Committee (MOURC), location are almost 450 vertebrate type successful nan authorities – a number of those will singing during nan night!
Examples of nocturnal birds successful Minnesota see nan communal nighthawk, American robin, barred owl, bluish mockingbird, and galore others.
Do immoderate of them look familiar? Let’s jump successful and spot what each of these looks and sounds like!
Nocturnal Birds In Minnesota
1. Northern Mockingbird

- Scientific name: Mimus polyglottos
Northern mockingbirds are birds you will astir often perceive singing astatine nighttime successful Minnesota. Those who singing nan astir are often young, unattached males aliases older males without mates.
They are astir noisy from March to August (their breeding season) and 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 MN 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.
2. American Robin

- Scientific name: Turdus migratorius
American robins are songbirds and communal sights successful forests, lawns, and suburbs crossed Minnesota, 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
American Robin Song | 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.
3. Killdeer

- Scientific Name: Charadrius vociferus
Just like successful Arkansas, 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
4. American Woodcock

- Scientific Name: Scolopax minor
American woodcocks, mini elusive birds, tin beryllium heard successful Minnesota during summertime from dusk to dawn. You will perceive them successful fields adjacent forests, particularly astir powerline cuts.
They’re challenging to spot owed to their nocturnal habits and camouflaged colors. You will admit them by 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
5. Wilson’s Snipe

- Scientific Name: Gallinago delicata
Like American woodcocks, Wilson’s snipes are besides recovered successful Minnesota. Often heard singing during summertime nights there, they for illustration bedewed fields, marshes, and bogs. You will perceive them astir 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
6. Eastern Screech-Owl

- Scientific Name: Megascops asio
Eastern screech owls are small, stocky, and strictly nocturnal. They unrecorded successful nan woodlands of Southern Minnesota 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
7. Great Horned Owl

- Scientific Name: Bubo virginianus
Great horned owls, 1 of Minnesota’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.
8. Barn Owl

- Scientific Name: Tyto alba
One of nan astir startling sounds you tin perceive astatine nighttime successful Southern Minnesota is nan loud, harsh telephone of barn owls. These imperishable residents of nan authorities are reasonably communal passim nan year.
During nan colder months, they find shelter successful heavy conifer trees aliases barns, while successful nan remainder of nan year, they enactment astir farms, rocky cliffs, forests, wetlands, and unfastened areas.
Often pinch a “ghostly” appearance, particularly if seen astatine nighttime erstwhile they are astir active, they do not hoot but make bone-chilling screams instead.
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
9. Barred Owl

- Scientific Name: Strix varia
Barred owls are different year-round residents of Minnesota 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.
10. Long-eared Owl

- Scientific Name: Asio otus
Long-eared owls are elusive birds, blending into unfastened forests, marshy areas, and dense coniferous woods of Minnesota.
Very rare, they travel live soon aft dusk, remaining progressive passim nan night. These owls are mostly quiet but make chopped calls. The male’s opus resembles low-pitched “hoo” notes, for illustration blowing crossed a bottle.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/39/Asio_otus_-_Long-eared_Owl_XC108293.mp3
Long-eared Owl Call | Source: Alexander Kurthy, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
They besides person a unique juvenile begging call, though beryllium cautious, arsenic it tin beryllium confused pinch distant barking dogs aliases mooing cows.
Read More: What birds tin you perceive singing astatine nighttime successful Pennsylvania?
11. Short-eared Owl

- Scientific Name: Asio flammeus
Short-eared owls, distributed worldwide isolated from successful Antarctica and Australia, tin beryllium often heard successful unfastened grasslands, including fields, marshes, and moreover airports. They chiefly sojourn Minnesota during summertime pinch immoderate bluish populations staying location year-round.
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 besides beryllium crepuscular.
12. Great Gray Owl

- Scientific Name: Strix nebulosa
Patterned pinch brownish and achromatic mottling, streaks, and barrings, awesome grey owls blend perfectly pinch nan gray-brown bark of their conifer perch.
Found successful northeastern parts of MN, these owls are highly secretive and difficult to find and birders often see it a immense accomplishment to get a confirmed sighting.
Great grey owls hoot and hunt astatine nighttime aliases astir dusk and dawn, mostly catching voles.
They are astir vocal during nan breeding play pinch pairs making a low-pitched bid of “hoos” that past betwixt 6 and 8 seconds and person a 30-second region betwixt nan calls. They will besides make soft double hoots erstwhile protecting their territories aliases erstwhile humans provender them; females person higher-pitched voices than males.
13. Northern Saw-whet Owl

- Scientific Name: Aegolius acadicus
Northern saw-whet owls are recovered astir forests of Minnesota passim nan year.
Named aft their large and repetitive whistles described arsenic “a saw being sharpened connected a whetstone”, their calling peaks astir 2 hours aft sunset and decreases until conscionable earlier sunrise.
Listen for nan tooting advertizing opus of males, a repeated “toot-toot-toot.” They springiness a assortment of different calls, and later successful nan season, juveniles nutrient a raspy, hissing call.
The compound called porphyrin makes their formation feathers unsocial – nan pigment gives them a neon pinkish fluorescence erstwhile exposed to UV light.
14. Pied-billed Grebe

- Scientific Name: Podilymbus podiceps
Pied-billed grebes, mini and stocky h2o birds, are communal astir marshes and ponds of Minnesota. 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.
15. Eastern Whip-poor-will

- Scientific Name: Antrostomus vociferus
Eastern whip-poor-wills sojourn eastbound Minnesota 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
Read More: What birds tin you perceive astatine nighttime successful Virginia?
16. Common Nighthawk

- Scientific Name: Chordeiles minor
During nan summertime breeding play successful Minnesota, communal nighthawks tin beryllium heard singing astatine dawn and dusk. These medium-sized raptors pinch forked 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 white patches adjacent nan guidelines of their superior feathers.
17. 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 cardinal and confederate parts of nan state, they are astir communal during nan summertime breeding play and for illustration freshwater wetlands pinch unfastened h2o and emergent vegetation.
Most progressive during dawn and dusk, they go 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.
18. American Coot

- Scientific Name: Fulica americana
American coots are small h2o 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 summertime residents of Minnesota tin beryllium 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 birds get progressive astatine nighttime successful California?
19. Black-crowned Night Heron

- Scientific Name: Nycticorax nycticorax
Black-crowned nighttime herons tin beryllium heard astir wooded swamps, ponds, lakes, and mangroves successful confederate MN during summertime evenings.
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.
Read More: Examples of nighttime birds successful Virginia
20. Ovenbird

- Scientific name: Seiurus aurocapilla
Ovenbirds singing regularly astatine nighttime successful eastbound Minnesota but astatine a comparatively debased opus rate.
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.
What Birds Sing At Night In Minnesota?
The astir communal birds that singing astatine nighttime successful Minnesota 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 American robins and their cheery carol aliases barn owls and their bone-chilling screams.
Summary
Minnesota’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 black-crowned nighttime herons 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 heard successful Michigan.