Knowing chipmunk vocalizations is a good way to determine if you’ve got chipmunks, or something else. Chipmunks don’t make that much noise, so many people might not be familiar with the sounds they make. But animals need to communicate, and chipmunks are no exception.
Warning Calls
Chipmunks have two known “warning” sounds, and these are the sounds that you are most likely to hear coming from them. Both of these sounds are intended to alert others to impending danger, generally in the form of a predator. The first is the “chip chip” sound. It is quite high-pitched, and to the uninformed, it might sound like a bird’s chirp. It is the call to alert fellow chipmunks to ground predators, such as coyotes, cats, or raccoons. The second warning call sounds like “chuck chuck” and is a deeper, more robust sound. It is used when there is a threat from the air, like a hawk.
Trills
Trills are used when chipmunks are not merely threatened, but actually on the run from a predator. They are made only when chipmunks are running, and unlike the previous warning calls, which may last for minutes, trills are very brief in duration. Upon hearing a trill, other chipmunks in the vicinity will scamper into their burrows and avoid coming out until they’re sure the threat is no longer present.
Mating Calls
Chipmunks also have sounds they make when pursuing potential mates. These calls—which can be heard in late spring, when their mating season starts—sound like croaks and chirps.
Unlike many of their rodent relatives, chipmunks typically don’t enter homes for harborage; they usually live in underground burrows in your yard. You’re more likely to find small holes in your yard then find a chipmunk in your attic.
So if you hear scurrying noises in your home, and none of the above vocalizations, it’s more likely to be mice, rats, or squirrels. If a chipmunk does enter your house, it doesn’t want to be there any more than you want it to. Open up some doors to give the little guy a way out.
Squirrel Sounds vs Chipmunk Noises
Chipmunks and squirrels make very similar noises if they’ve infiltrated a house. Both are quite active creatures, so they usually make scratching or scurrying noises. The best way to differentiate between a squirrel and a chipmunk, therefore, is to pay attention to where the sound is coming from.
Squirrels are avid climbers, often entering houses through the roof or attic, while chipmunks are burrowing animals that like to stay close to the ground. If the sounds are coming from below, or in your walls, there’s a slight chance it could be a chipmunk. But if you hear the noise from up above, it’s almost certainly something else.
If you’re hearing animal sounds in your house, give Trutech Wildlife a call. Our team acts with humanity and expediency, so you can get back to enjoying your home.With that, it is unlikely for chipmunks to be in your home. But it is not impossible. With that, you may find chipmunks in a few spots around the house. Like other rodents, chipmunks will stick to areas of the home not occupied by people like attics and wall cavities. They sound similar to squirrels or rats in your house.
FAQs
Chipmunk Sounds - Trutech Wildlife Service? ›
Chipmunks most frequently use a high-pitched chirping noise. Their 'chuck-chuck' call is often mistaken for
Why do chipmunks chirp? If you hear a loud, chirping noise from a chipmunk, they're most likely chipping, also known as “chip-chips” due to their repetitive nature. These loud calls mean a predator is nearby, and the chipmunk is warning its colony so that they aren't eaten!
What do different chipmunk sounds mean? ›All About Chipmunk Sounds
These alarm calls can vary according to the type of predator as well. For instance, a chipping sound is usually emitted in the presence of a mammalian predator (like a raccoon). On the other hand, chucking sounds are emitted in the presence of an aerial predator.
The clucking, or sometimes called chucking call, is used to warn of avian predators such as owls, hawks, and eagles. Some sources note that it may also be used to warn of other predators. A trill is given when a chipmunk is being pursued by a predator. These calls could be similar for other chipmunk species as well.
What do chipmunks sound like in walls? ›Scratching and Scurrying Sounds in Your Walls and Ceilings
Squirrels and chipmunks are active little creatures. Therefore, scratching or scurrying sounds in your walls and ceilings is usually the first sign—and a sure one—that you've been invaded.
Warning Calls
The first is the “chip chip” sound. It is quite high-pitched, and to the uninformed, it might sound like a bird's chirp. It is the call to alert fellow chipmunks to ground predators, such as coyotes, cats, or raccoons. The second warning call sounds like “chuck chuck” and is a deeper, more robust sound.
Chipmunks are particularly adverse to garlic, pepper, and mint scents, making these ideal natural repellents to help prevent or deter small groups of chipmunks from your property.
Where do chipmunks sleep at night? ›Chipmunks like to live alone in holes or burrows called dens. Chipmunks hibernate in cold weather, which means they spend most of the winter sleeping in their dens.
Why are chipmunks around my house? ›Chipmunks find their way from the woods to human dwellings for all the reasons you might expect: food, water, and shelter. If you have a fruit or vegetable garden, growing produce might attract them.
Where do chipmunks nest? ›Most chipmunks construct tunnels and chambers in the ground. Entrances are well hidden under rocks or tangled bushes. Less typical are those western species that spend a fair amount of their time in trees and sometimes even nest in tree cavities.
Why do chipmunks make wood knocking sounds? ›
Chipmunks make this sound to warn other chipmunks. of danger, especially danger from above- hawks!
What does a clucking sound mean? ›to make the low, interrupted noise that a chicken makes. [ I or T ] informal. to express disapproval or other emotion by making a short, sharp sound with your tongue: to cluck in disapproval/amazement. She shakes her head, smiles, and clucks her tongue.
How do you know if a chipmunk is male or female? ›These features can be found towards the end of the chipmunk and will appear as two distinct bumps. Look at the genital area, which is located above the anus. In the genital area, males will have two bumps that are about one centimeter apart from each other. In females, the bumps are touching each other.
What animal sounds like a baby crying at night? ›Porcupines can sound like babies in the dark, video shows | Centre Daily Times.
Can chipmunks squeeze under doors? ›Cracks and gaps in door and window frames are classic rodent infiltration routes. Chipmunks require more space to squeeze through than rats or mice, but they can still get occasionally inside homes using frames. Usually, a chipmunk works their way through gaps either by accident or when they're desperate.
Can chipmunks chew through drywall? ›As chipmunks are equipped with strong teeth, they are able to chew on everything that surrounds them, so they can easily chew through drywall as well. Drywall is relatively a weak, brittle, and light wall material, making it prone to damage like holes and cracks caused by wildlife such as chipmunks.
What do chipmunks do when scared? ›Chipmunks look for hiding spaces
As a prey species, chipmunks will always want to be able to get away from things that scare them. They'll feel most comfortable with access to a safe hiding place, away from the sight and smell of predators such as foxes, cats, dogs, ferrets and birds of prey.
If you have a fruit or vegetable garden, growing produce might attract them. Chipmunks eat flowering bulbs, fruits, and young plants, but they can even disrupt plants and seeds they don't eat. You're also likely to find these rodents underneath bird feeders, eating bird food that has fallen to the ground.
Do chipmunks ever come out at night? ›Year-round, chipmunks are day-dwellers and do not leave their burrows at night. Their main period of inactivity is during the hottest months of the year, and may rarely leave their nests during those months.
Why don t chipmunks come out at night? ›Chipmunks Have Terrible Night Vision
With so much light entering their eyes, their visibility during the day is ideal. The opposite is also true. So, chipmunks avoid going out during the dark hours of the night because this behavior will place them at significant risk of death because they cannot see predators.