Hoot Back – can you speak owl?
Owls call to mark their territory and find each other in the dark. Every species has its own call: the tawny owl's familiar hoo-hoooo, the eagle-owl's deep OO-hu and the Philippine scops owl's rhythmic oik-oik-oik-ook. The spectacled owl's deep call sounds like knocking on wood – in Brazil it is known as the “knocking owl”.
The calls are so different that biologists use them to tell species and subspecies apart. Pitch and rhythm matter most – and that is exactly what you need to match here.
The spectacled owl and the Philippine scops owl live at Eagleworld. The tawny owl and the eagle-owl live wild in Denmark.
How to play
- Choose an owl and press Start the microphone. Your browser will ask for permission to use the microphone.
- Press Hear the owl and listen. The white line shows the owl's melody.
- Press Your turn, wait for the countdown and call back. The orange line shows your pitch.
- You score for pitch and rhythm – and the owl answers. The better you match, the closer it comes.
- No microphone? Choose Play without a microphone and hold the button down in time with the call.
Your voice stays in your browser: the sound is only analysed on your own device. Nothing is recorded, stored or sent. Tip: Headphones help, and try whistling into your cupped hands for the tawny owl.
Microphone not working here? Open Hoot Back full screen.
Recordings of the spectacled owl, tawny owl and eagle-owl: xeno-canto recordists via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0) – see the credits in the game.
Also try »Owl Ears« – can you find the mouse in the dark with an owl's hearing? →
Published 9 October 2026