Saw-Whet Sounds - Veterinary Medicine at Illinois

Saw-Whet Sounds
I think I speak for most people when I say that the sounds animals can make are incredible! From communication, to mating, each animal’s call is unique to their species, and in some cases, distinct even to each individual animal. As humans, we also have a huge variety of sounds that we use in our daily lives. Communicating with each other via talking, expressing danger with screams, and creating repetitive patterns as forms of entertainment in music are just a few examples of the complexity of our sounds. Now, what would happen if human sounds and animal sounds collided?
Haley Shaw, known as @SoWylie on Tiktok, is a music producer and sound designer. She was inspired by my personal favorite owl, the northern saw-whet owl, and how delicate their calls sound. She decided to combine her talent for music with the naturally occurring saw-whet call to create an amazing beat. Check out the video below!
Haley didn’t stop there, she went on to create songs for a barred owl, boreal owl, and a barn owl, all of which are amazing listens (linked below). One of the greatest things we can do for wildlife is appreciate all of their natural beauties, with bird calls being an easy one to highlight. Many individuals spend their entire lives studying the intricacies of each bird’s unique sound. Even if your ideal Saturday isn’t spent in the woods in silence hoping to hear just a whisper of a saw-whet owl call, it is hard to dispute the fact that wildlife impact our daily lives in ways we could never imagine. These songs are a unique example of just how integrated our lives are with animals, and are a great reminder to always appreciate wildlife as the incredible creatures they are, all on their own!
Make sure to check out Haley’s songs, and keep an eye for any more owl sounds! Have you heard or seen any fascinating birds recently? Let us know on our Facebook page, we’d love to see!