Clash of the Titans - Owl

[Sertile]

The other day I was out in a wilderness area at the Wilson's Creek National Battlefield in Southern MO with a prof. from Arkansas State and his assistant, a grad student named Jason, and this Jason claimed that, while we were coming back from the truck, getting shovels or what have you, he heard something coming from the woods that sounded like "the owl from Clash of the Titans."

Now call me uncultured, but I've never seen Clash of the Titans all the way through so I don't exactly know what that's supposed to mean. I just know he seemed kind of freaked-out and he acted like he had heard something very unnatural. A cursory Google search makes me thing the Owl in question was an automaton.

Now, I've heard a lot of things in the forests around here, but I'm not neccesarily suggesting the presence of a bona fide cryptid or rogue automaton. The interior of Wilson's Creek is seldom travelled and teeming with wildlife, so it's conceivable there are animals there a person like Jason might not be familiar with.

I guess what I'd like to know is, what exactly is this owl noise supposed to sound like, and do any regular-type owls come close to making the same sound?

 

[Anonymous]

I've heard birds make clicking noises before, and chirps that sounded man made. I know the Owl you talk about as well and with the exception of the humanising "Twooo" the clock-work owl had, it is believable that a bird probably made the sound. Creaking branches sound like it a bit too. But like I say the film makers added the human like noise probably to endear him to the kiddies as the Owl was the comic relief. I wouldn't be surprised if it was a bird sounding weird. It's late spring, he maybe was looking for a lady bird.

mooks (click, whirr, twit) out

 

[escargot]

I thought the owl sounded like the Clangers, too.

 

[Anonymous]

I thought the owl sounded like the Clangers, too.

They're inclusion in Clash of the Titans would have added much comic relief! I've been looking for the sound but can't seem to find it!

Dang!

mooks (whirr, click twooo) out

 

[hedgewizard1]

There are all kinds of unexpected sounds in the woods. The local Barred Owl has a call similar to maniacal laughter. Coyotes don't often make the howling we associate with them. The local ones make a sound like children screaming. Very unnerving to hear at 2 AM! Squirrels hereabouts have a call that sounds similar to a cat's meow.

My point is that Mother Nature's wild children can make some amazing noises. Unless one spends a lot of time in the wild, there isn't much exposure to the wide variety of calls and sounds. I can see where the buzzing of an insect and the clicking of branches could be interpreted as something peculiar.

 

[feen5]

It was quite probably a local bird that had picked up various mechanical sounds and incorporated them into its songs. Where i live its amazing the variety of sounds some birds can produce especially starlings. If you weren't looking at the bird as it was making the noises you would think you were listening to a car alarm.

 

[hedgewizard1]

There's a lot of that, although most reports are from the UK, Ireland, etc. I think it has to do with population density. Still, we have mockingbirds and starlings, so the possibility exists.

I would also note that a blue jay has a call that sounds to me like a rusty pump.

 

[Anonymous]

Yet again the Missourian responds to the Missouri question. It could have been any number of birds/frogs/squirrels. The noise the owl makes in Clash of the Titans isn't what I would call unnerving or spooky. It sounds like a cross between a pigeon and the sound that happens when you die on donkey-kong. I have the C.O.T.T. DVD and will see if I can sample the scene with the owl and post it on here tomorrow (it's way past sleepy-time right now).


P.S. Wasn't it you Sertile that posted about the gate to hell in Arkansas?

 

[hedgewizard1]

I thought that post said that Arkansas WAS the gate to Hell....

 

[Sertile]

I rather like Arkansas, actually. Some parts are still pretty wild though. I'm not as accustomed to civilization as some people, but some of the stuff I've seen down there is too much even for me.

The whole idea of Arkansas as a gateway area is something I'm still trying to get to the bottom of. So far I've been unable to trace the story to it's origin. In fact, the more I dig the more stories I uncover. I'm going back next week for a second "expedition," and hopefully that one should turn out better than the last. I'm also going to be out of the state for the next 6 or 7 weeks, so if you don't hear from me don't worry about me getting stuck in some hole somewhere.