The Wailing in the Australian Night
On Australian nights, a long, mournful wail drifts through parks and bush, startling newcomers who think someone is crying.
What was reported
Across northern and eastern Australia, people out after dark sometimes hear a drawn-out, eerie wailing, rising to a scream, that can sound like a woman or child crying. New arrivals and campers are often alarmed, and some Aboriginal traditions associate the call with sad news.
The wailing often comes from parks, golf courses and open woodland, even in suburbs.
Explanations offered
It is the call of the bush stone-curlew, a tall, long-legged bird with big yellow eyes that is active at night and stands frozen during the day, relying on camouflage. Its calls are a way for birds to keep in contact and defend territory.
- When
- Heard every night
- Where
- Eastern Queensland, Australia
- Witnesses
- Residents and campers
- Status
- Explained
Famous cases are real, widely reported events. Each file sets out what witnesses said and the explanations that have been offered, without taking a side.