Appropriate Non-animal sound recordings on iNat

General
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We don’t create new topics very often and so are nervous about it!

We frequently enjoy identifying via these parameters: “Unknown” and “Has Sounds.” We refine location to our general region. We have found that time of year will provide patterns for what is uploaded to iNat.

The most common bird sounds uploaded with these parameters (for USA Midwest) are Blue Jay and Carolina Wren. Honorable mentions based on time of year go to Gray Catbird and Barred Owl. Northern Cardinal also has a steady upload pattern.

During non-winter, Katydids, Crickets, and Cicadas are very commonly uploaded. Frogs and Toads are popular as well. We are trying to learn to differentiate among these non-birds so as to improve and refine our IDs of Unknowns.

If you identify with these parameters, have you noticed patterns? If you do not use these parameters, do variability of sound quality, quality of your device, or ability of your hearing contribute to your decision?

When we are in doubt between Frogs and Toads (order Anura) and Grasshoppers, Crickets, and Katydids (Order Orthoptera)–or get confused or tired (especially on #identiFriday)–we identify to “Animal,” which led us to the recognition that we have not had an “Unknown” + “Has Sounds” that was anything but an animal (except for observations that are perhaps not ideal for iNat, such as rushing water sounds).

We were considering making a feature request so that uploaded sounds would automatically be ID’d as “Animals” (Kingdom Animalia), but brainstorming with another iNatter led us to consider that someone could upload non-Animal sounds, such as rustling leaves of Populus tremuloides Trembling Aspen or the sound of falling acorns or other fruits, even though we have not found such an observation in Unknowns.

What non-animal sounds have you ever uploaded?
What non-animal sounds (Humans are Animals) have you ever identified or even come across on other’s observations?
What iNat guidelines would apply to determining what would be appropriate non-Animal sounds?
What non-animal sounds that are appropriate for iNat can you conceive of?
Would you include a photo, too, if you were observing a non-Animal sound?

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I have uploaded this observation: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/111538046
It’s creaking sounds coming from different spots on the ground (under a thick layer of leaves).
To this day I have no idea if it was animals making these sounds, tree roots or even something completely different like some kind of nature phenomen going on there.
I just couldn’t find the source and therefore can’t really say if it was alive.

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You can find the answer to some of your questions through the Explore page (though some people do upload sounds that don’t seem to contain sounds of the organism itself, just the habitat): https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?identified=true&order_by=votes&place_id=any&sounds&without_taxon_id=1

Some examples:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/48471306 (exploding fruits)
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/46932802 (shaking fruits)
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/120998859 (thunking on a tree trunk)
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/57959458 (rubbing scouring rush pieces together)

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I’m photos-only when it comes to my observations, but when I was photographing a patch of blooming Euphorbia and trying to get good closeups of fruits and flowers, I could hear the occasional “pop-patter-patter-patter” of seedpods exploding and seeds bouncing off the leaves and away.

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To us, these are very creative and interesting observations. Thank you for finding them and linking to them. We found it interesting that three of the sounds were made by the humans interacting with the organism, while the exploding fruits were not. And all of them had photos.

Regarding the Filter, habitat sounds is a concept we had not considered because to us they are not direct evidence of the organism. One of the observations we had actually seen before and forgotten: it included what sounds like a squirrel eating a Walnut: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/97077903. We find this a very creative way to incorporate sound into a tree observation.

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I’ve definitely heard creaking or rubbing branches in the woods and thought it was an animal.

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Other than perhaps the sound of a seed pod popping – which is actually generated by the plant itself – what other sounds produced by an individual non-animal organism could there be? The sound of wind in branches is certainly not generated by the tree. (In pondering this, I can’t help thinking about the rock band Screaming Trees :-) .)

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I always include a picture with sound observations if possible. So far I have only needed to upload animals without pictures.

I haven’t run across many sounds in unknowns, but found one recently. It looked like the person had made the mistake of adding the picture and photos into separate observations. I guess it’s worth considering that a lot of things in unknowns are from newer users learning the platform, so they may be less predictable.

Since you mentioned Aspens, here’s my recent observation with sound.

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The sperm jets of certain Marchantiophyta and explosively propelled pollen of some angiosperms should be audible (if not to an ear then to some sort of fancy science machine).

Motile seeds (e.g., Erodium, Avena) and Dionaea/Drosera leaves also make inaudible but theoretically recordable sounds.

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It’s not generated by the tree, but it’s a tree sound, the way trees sometimes sound on the wind is frightening, would be cool to upload.

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I have uploaded non-animal sounds:
Rattlebush
Ground Plum

I think sound is just another way to appreciate the beauty of plants. I did use photos as well. I think if any living thing makes a noise, it should be fair game.

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@wildwestnature am I remembering correct there is a tree observed everyday? that would be interesting to record if it sounds different in different seasons.

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I have a recording of pine limbs hitting one another during stormy weather. https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/106939508

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I too enjoy going through “unknown” audio. It can be particularly challenging though, because audio, more so than photos, has a tendency to contain multiple species. So for those that upload audio, it is particularly helpful if you would either describe the sound in the notes, or even better, indicate the exact seconds within the audio that the species of interest can be heard.

I think it’s great that you ID audio, @wildwestnature! When I upload audio, it usually takes 2-3x more time before it gets IDed, even if I already have it listed at the species level and just need someone to confirm. I usually upload bird sounds, and I imagine this is exacerbated for less readily IDed taxa.

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I keep imagining someone recording the “snap, crackle, pop” of Rice Krispies, and uploading it as an observation of Oryza sativa.

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Real Groot I Am Groot GIF - Real Groot I Am Groot Guardians Of The Galaxy GIFs

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Potential sounds to record - bladderwort (Utricularia) trap triggering, cane (Arundinaria) whistling and popping in a fire, and corn growing.

There must be others. I may put my recorder back in the field bag.

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Interesting conversation.

I have uploaded a lot of animal sounds, but only when they were intended to be diagnostic for the species. I generally can’t see the value of non-diagnostic sounds, other than just as interesting side notes.
I do have a non-diagnostic sound uploaded of a rattlesnake rattling, but it is accompanied by diagnostic photos, so maybe…? https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/90574068
And a gophersnake hissing? Again, not enough to identify, but interesting addition maybe? https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/1652219

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I agree. The gophersnake hissing and rattler rattling are interesting additions and might be useful for someone who isn’t familiar with the sounds. Alone they are non-diagnostic but with photos are pretty cool.

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OMG the snake strike! Yes, an interesting addition for sure!!!
We have video of a Prairie Rattlesnake, but it didn’t make any noise; the only noise, if memory serves all these years later, is us trying to reassure our young daughter (who is on our back and trying to crawl onto our head) that we will be fine, as we are slowly backing away.

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