If you’ve ever watched a movie with a bald eagle soaring majestically through the sky, you can probably hear its piercing cry in your head right now. The problem? That sound isn’t coming from a bald eagle at all.
What we’ve been led to believe is the mighty screech of America’s national bird is actually the call of a red-tailed hawk. In reality, bald eagles make high-pitched chirps that sound more like a small songbird than a fearsome raptor. Filmmakers swap in the hawk’s call because, well, it just sounds more dramatic.
And eagles aren’t the only animals with surprisingly unexpected voices.
Cheetahs Chirp Like Birds
You might think a cheetah—the sleek, spotted speedster of the savanna—would have a deep, menacing growl. But when they’re excited or calling their cubs, they let out a high-pitched chirp (technically called a chirrup) that sounds like something out of a pet store, not the wild African plains. Of course, cheetahs can still purr, growl, and meow, but their little bird-like calls are the real surprise.
Porcupines Sound Like Cartoon Characters
Have you ever wondered what sound a porcupine makes? Probably not. But if you ever hear one, you won’t forget it. Their strange, almost comical vocalizations sound like they belong in a video game—or like a tiny, grumbling gremlin. It’s impossible to listen without laughing.
Foxes Giggle Like Mischievous Children
The viral song What Does the Fox Say? made a joke of fox vocalizations, but the real answer is even funnier: They laugh. Literally. Foxes make a giggling sound that’s eerily human, as if they’re in on some secret joke we’ll never understand.
Baby Rhinos Sing Like Whales
Rhinos might seem like the kind of animal that just snorts and grunts, but baby rhinos take things to a whole other level. Their sounds are almost melodic—like tiny, high-pitched whale songs. It’s the kind of noise you’d expect from the ocean, not a grassy plain.
Baby Bears Purr Like Kittens
Bears might be known for their deep roars and growls, but baby bears? They purr. When they’re comfortable and content, their soft, rhythmic purring is strikingly similar to that of a housecat—just coming from a much bigger, furrier baby.
The Desert Rain Frog Is a Living Squeaky Toy
Rounding out the list of unexpected animal sounds is the tiny desert rain frog. This little amphibian, found in coastal parts of South Africa and Namibia, lets out a high-pitched squeak that sounds exactly like a rubber dog toy. It’s almost too cute to be real.
The World Is Full of Unfamiliar Animal Sounds
Most of us grow up learning the sounds of common animals—cows moo, pigs oink, and dogs bark. But the natural world is full of surprises, with creatures making noises that defy expectations.
Some animal calls are soothing, like birdsong or crickets chirping on a summer night. Others can trigger instinctive fear—like a rattlesnake’s warning or a cougar’s eerie scream. But it’s the bizarre, unexpected ones that remind us just how weird and wonderful the animal kingdom truly is.