You’re alone in the woods, miles from civilization. The moon is high, the air is still… and then: an unholy scream shatters the silence. Your heart pounds. Is it a yeti? A lost soul? Nope. Odds are, it’s just one of these 11 totally normal (but terrifying) animals.
1. Bobcats (Lynx rufus) – The Screaming Phantom
Where are they? Great Smoky Mountains, Yosemite, Everglades. What do they sound Like: A woman screaming in agony. Theories? Frequently confused with ghosts, banshees, or skinwalkers. Bobcats are sneaky, but their screams are downright blood-curdling. And mating season is the worst: males and females make blood-curdling yowls that sound like a murder scene. Campers have told tales of running in terror, only to discover a very unimpressed bobcat.
2. Red Foxes (Vulpes vulpes) – The Hellhound Howl
Where: Shenandoah, Yellowstone, Acadia. Sounds Like: A person screaming or crying. Theories: Associated with demonic hounds and ghosts. Foxes are small, yet their screams are nightmare material. They do so to communicate, particularly in mating season. Their blood-curdling shrieks have sparked stories of ghost dogs and monsters in the forest. So take a deep breath if you hear one: it’s most likely a lovesick fox.
3. Mountain Lions (Puma concolor) – The Screeching Demon
Where: Rocky Mountain, Grand Canyon, Big Bend. Sounds Like: A woman screaming in horror. Theories: Skinwalkers, Wendigos, ghosts. Cougars are stealthy predators… unless they’re not. Their creepy screams are one of the most terrifying wilderness sounds. Some people swear it’s a supernatural beast: until they find themselves eye to eye with a 150-pound cat. If you hear one, stay away. You’re in its territory.
4. Coyotes (Canis latrans) – The Chattering Shadows
Where: Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, Everglades. Sounds Like: Laughter, haunting howls, yips. Theories: Trickster spirits, Skinwalkers. Coyotes are known for their chaotic, overlapping howls that can make it seem like you’re surrounded. Indigenous legends link them to mischievous spirits, and some hikers report hearing them ‘talk’ in distorted human-like voices. But it’s not the supernatural: it’s just nature’s biggest prankster.
5. Barred Owls (Strix varia) – The Forest Ghosts
Where: Great Smoky Mountains, Everglades, Olympic. Sounds Like: Someone saying “Who cooks for you?” (or a witch’s cackle). Theories: Ghosts, shapeshifters. Barred owls make a unique, eerie hoot that sounds almost human. Occasionally, they screech instead, an unearthly noise that makes the blood run cold. All those ghost stories in the woods? Likely just owls discussing the weather. Or… are they?
6. Elk (Cervus canadensis) – The Trumpet of the Wild
Where: Yellowstone, Rocky Mountain, Great Smoky Mountains. Sounds Like: A high-pitched bugle mixed with a scream. Theories: Unknown beasts, Sasquatch. During rutting season, bull elk belt out eerie, warbling bugles that carry for miles. If you’re not expecting it, the sound is utterly alien. Some cryptid believers swear they’ve heard Bigfoot yelling in the distance… but it’s just an elk looking for love.
7. Porcupines (Erethizon dorsatum) – The Possessed Chatterbox
Where: Olympic, Shenandoah, Glacier. Sounds Like: Strange baby sounds, mumbling, screams. Theories: Ghosts, goblins. Porcupines are nature’s freaks. They produce strange, almost human-like sounds—moaning, chattering, and even “talking” to themselves. When backpackers hear these creepy sounds in the dark, they like to think something supernatural is stalking them… but nope, just a prickly little guy.
8. Barn Owls (Tyto alba) – The Harbinger of Death
Where: Shenandoah, Everglades, Grand Canyon. Sounds Like: A woman shrieking or a soul in torment. Theories: Ghosts, banshees, demons. Barn owls don’t hoot: they scream. Loudly. Their blood-curdling, extended shrieks are the stuff horror movies are made of. All those ghost sightings in national parks? Probably just a barn owl out hunting rodents. But it’s no wonder people think something otherworldly is lurking in the woods.
9. Rabbits (Sylvilagus spp.) – The Death Screech
Where: Yosemite, Grand Canyon, Everglades. Sounds Like: A horrifying, high-pitched scream. Theories: Dying spirits, banshees. Rabbits are silent – until they’re not. When scared or attacked, they let out a scream so blood-curdling you’d think it was a banshee. Some campers have fled in terror, convinced they’ve heard something supernatural. In reality? Just a bunny having a bad night.
10. Opossums (Didelphis virginiana) – The Night Terror
Where: Great Smoky Mountains, Shenandoah, Everglades. Sounds Like: Hissing, growling, screeching. Theories: Poltergeists, lurking demons. Opossums seem harmless enough, but their calls are the stuff of horror movies. When frightened, they screech and hiss like possessed animals. Hikers have reported strange, guttural calls at night—only to come face to face with a very upset possum.
11. American Bittern (Botaurus lentiginosus) – The Bog Monster
Where: Everglades, Yellowstone, Great Smoky Mountains. Sounds Like: A low, gulping boom, like water churning. Theories: Swamp monsters, lake monsters. The American bittern is a bird, but it doesn’t sound like it. Its low, booming glunk-glunk has scared many a camper into believing they’ve had a run-in with some monster in the swamp. Nope, just a strange-looking bird with a nightmare throat.
So, What Did You Hear?
Hearing something inexplicable when you’re out in the woods is terrifying: but nature is rife with strange sounds. Should you actually hear a scream, a laugh, or a ghostly howl, try not to freak out. It’s most likely a totally normal (but vocal) animal just being its incredible self. Just perhaps keep your flashlight close. National parks are rife with mystery, beauty, and odd sounds. But, prior to jumping to the conclusion that it’s some paranormal beast, keep in mind: wildlife can be stranger (and scarier) than fiction. So, the next time you hear a scream in the night? Just Google it before you run.
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