The hadeda: Nature’s loudest wake-up call

Birds are often celebrated for their beautiful songs, but not all bird sounds are created equal.

While the melodic chirping of a robin might bring peace to your morning, some bird calls – like the infamous hadeda ibis – strike a very different chord.

The hadeda has a call that’s less melody and more soul-piercing scream.

Its sound is akin to a creature announcing the apocalypse, delivered with the volume of an air horn.

I am often ripped from a peaceful dream by a loud scream for help, only to realise that it is merely an enormous, albeit irritating bird on the roof.

It sounds like the bird is auditioning for a horror movie.

And there’s no sleeping through it. Earplugs are futile.

The hadeda does not care about your need for rest, or your fragile human nerves.

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One factor that grates my nerves, is the context of this screech.

Certain bird calls are disturbing simply because they interrupt the serenity of the environment.

The hadeda, for example, doesn’t politely chirp in the distance; it screeches right into your personal space.

It’s not background noise – it’s a main character and it demands your full attention, whether you like it or not. Volume also plays a critical role.

Birds like the hadeda aren’t just loud; they’re aggressively loud.

Their calls have a way of cutting through any other noise, piercing your consciousness like a needle through a balloon.

The sheer force of the sound feels almost personal, as though the bird is actively trying to ruin your morning cup of coffee.

But perhaps the most disturbing thing about some bird calls is their emotional unpredictability.

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Where a dove’s coo might evoke sadness or nostalgia, the hadeda’s scream evokes chaos.

Its call doesn’t fit neatly into any category of human emotion, which makes it unsettling.

Is it angry? Excited? Laughing at your misery? Nobody knows.

It’s the bird equivalent of an unhinged prankster, keeping you on edge because you never know when it will strike next.

But not everyone finds these calls disturbing.

For some, the hadeda’s sound is a charming part of the natural soundscape, a reminder of home or a quirky feature of local wildlife.

But for the uninitiated, the hadeda is less a bird and more an acoustic terror.

It’s a feathered reminder that nature isn’t always here to soothe us; sometimes, it’s here to keep us humble – and awake.

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