Creature Feature – Raising the Alarm

Woodland creatures are part of a living acoustical network, connected to one another by sound. The latest “news” travels along this network, broadcasting important information including alarm calls and signals warning of potential danger – whether it’s a hawk flying overhead, a coyote passing through, or just a hiker moving along a trail, these perceived threats trigger noisy bulletins that ripple through the forest. 

If you’ve ever unintentionally flushed a white-tailed deer from its secretive resting place, you may have experienced a heart-clutching moment as the startled animal blasted out a sharp, hoarse exhalation of air as it bounded away. These explosive warning snorts can carry far distances, triggering a cascade of reactions in other wildlife as agitated chipmunks, squirrels, crows, blue jays and other birds add their own acoustical warnings to the forest’s “emergency broadcast system.” 

In addition to a warning blast, white-tailed deer also raise a visual alarm – quite literally. As they flee from predators, deer intersperse running with bounding leaps, while pumping their tails up and down, flashing white rumps and under-tails at the pursuer. Biologists speculate that these dramatic, flashy displays may serve multiple purposes including warning other deer of an immediate threat; communicating that they are healthy and vigorous individuals; and letting the predator know that it has been spotted. After all, many predators rely on stealth; so an in-your-face kind of retreat says, “Don’t waste your time on me! I’m not an easy target, because I’ve already seen you!”

Article & photo by Margie Manthey