Badger Vocal Communication

Acoustic communication is one of the primary methods by which signals are transmitted between badgers, complemented by smell which provides an essential and more durable message. Vocalisations are a flexible modality of communication, enabling the individual to convey rapid changes of mood to others in the dark of the sett, and the dim of twilight. In addition vocal signals facilitate localisation, and possibly even individual recognition.

The badger has a surprisingly diverse vocal repertoire which may relate to both their nocturnal habits, and the relative complexity of their social structure. When communicating with other badgers discrete sound types may be differentiated contextually. For example, the growl may be used either in a warning/ defence context or it may be produced in conjunction with a show of dominance. The badger's vocal repertoire consists of at least sixteen discrete calls, varying from long, low pitched growls to short, high-pitched squeaks and bird-like coos. Churrs, purrs, and keckers seem to be restricted to adults only, while chirps, clucks, coos, squeaks and wails are confined to the badger cub's repertoire.

The Churr The churr is essentially a mating call which signals the sexual arousal of the male to oestrous females. The high number of units per call distributed over a relatively short time span contributes to its description as an 'insistent, deep, throaty, vibrant purr with an oily, bubbling quality'. The quality of the churr, its depth and intensity, may serve to inform females of male viability and/or physical condition. This call was recorded as a male characteristically churred at the entrance to a sett until a female appeared.	The Purr The purr is similar in sound quality to the churr, however, it is somewhat softer and less intense than the churr, and has fewer components per call. The purr is divided into two forms on the basis of structure and sound - the purr and the purr-click. Both calls are affiliative acoustic signals specific to the mother and directed solely towards her offspring. The purr may be used when grooming or carrying the cubs, to call cubs from the sett, or, in this particular case, to encourage the cubs to follow and stay close to the mother.
The Wail The wail is the high pitched, prolonged cry of the cub. This wail was given by a tiny cub, a little over two and a half months old, whose mother was preoccupied with the attentions of an amorous male. The wail comprises a series of discrete calls that are of moderate to high frequency and of intense energy. The wail is the call of an infant in distress, usually when the cub is isolated from the mother. As infant distress increases, so does the intensity and rate of wailing.	The Chitter The chitter is a relatively short, high-pitched, querulous chatter, characterised on average by four or five components per call. The adult chitter is used primarily in the context of pain/fear and frustration/anxiousness. In cubs it is less common; heard mainly during excited social play. The call can vary quite considerably in intensity. The chitter is often used by the female, either when she is being harassed by a male intending to mate, or to signal pain or fear during mating, particularly when the male is biting her neck, as on this occasion.
The Kecker (Copyright Henry Sahli from British Library National Sound Archives with permission) The kecker is a relatively long, single sound, with a harmonic structure. The similarity of this structure to that of the chitter is evident; indeed, it is perhaps derived from the chitter. Usually of very high intensity, the kecker is typically produced with one breath of air, and may last from one to several seconds. This call is used primarily in the contexts of threat/submission, attack and fighting. As fighting becomes more serious, the intensity, emission rate and amplitude of intermittent keckering may increase.	The Growl Growls are low-pitched, rumbling sounds which are sustained and coarse. Consisting of only one unit per call, with a mean duration of 1.59 seconds, the growl is the longest badger vocalisation. It is associated with warning or defence, produced most commonly by adults in the presence of food or young, or when an unfamiliar individual enters the territory. It usually serves to elicit a retreat on the part of the receiver. On this occasion the aggression was precipitated by two individuals meeting head to head over a preferred feeding site - the smaller badger soon backed down.
The Snarl Snarls are moderate pitched, single, sibilant sounds. They are usually long, over a second in duration, and are typically distinguished into three distinct phases: introduction, build-up, and let-down termination. The introduction is deep, insistent and throaty, produced by a controlled burst of air through an opened mouth. It seems probable that the snarl is structurally derived from a high intensity growl, and indicates a higher intensity of aggression. This call is used primarily in the threat/attack context and, unlike the growl, almost always precedes attack. Competition for a limited resource was the cause of this explosive attack as a male challenges a bold intruder.	The Yelp The yelp is a high-pitched, abrupt, sharp sound, similar in structure to the squeak. Adult yelps are given mostly in series, and are often heard in sequence with chitters. The yelp is used primarily in the context of pain and/or fear, being employed to signal actual pain or perhaps fear in anticipation of pain. In adults it is most commonly used by females before and/or during mating, particularly when the female is being bitten on the scruff of the neck by the male. Several hypotheses may help explain the structure and function of the female yelp. The call may have a restraining effect upon the male, thus serving as an important check for male aggression during copulation. In addition, yelping may function to announce the presence of a male consort, or to induce male-male competition, enabling the female to make more informed choices about the "best" male to sire her offspring based on competitive ability.
The Squeak The squeak is a very short, shrill, high-pitched call, similar in structure to the yelp. The cub squeak is primarily found in the context of frustration and anxiousness, when the cub is separated from its mother, or in play. It is repetitive and abrupt, with sharp discontinuities when used in series. This particular call was given by a cub when left behind by his/her mother.	The Snort Snorts are low-pitched, primarily expiratory, nasal sounds, produced by an outburst of air through an open mouth. The snort has only been observed in the startle/surprise context, and is most commonly elicited when an individual is taken by surprise. The snort may be accompanied by the surprised individual jumping back and the erection of the body hair, called 'pilo-erection.' It has been suggested that the snort may serve to startle a potential predator ( Kruuk, 1989).
The Bark The bark is a short, moderately pitched call, heard most often in series. It resembles the bark of a small dog. It is produced by an explosive outburst of air through an open mouth, and consists of only one unit per call. The bark is usually heard during play, or in the startle/surprise and warning/defence contexts. Barking in adults functions primarily to warn off conspecifics, usually occurring over defence of food or as a warning to an approaching badger, thus its physical characteristics enable the vocaliser to be located easily. These include the calls repetitiveness, its sharp onset and brevity, and its wide frequency spectrum. Furthermore, the bark may also be heard during mating, when either one of the copulating pair is antagonised by another individual, as on this occasion.	The Cluck Restricted to cubs, the cluck is an unusual bird-like sound, resembling the soft quacks of ducks. Clucks are relatively short, staccato, low frequency calls, consisting often of four or five components per call. The cluck is heard primarily during greeting, grooming, and play, and is therefore associated with general close contact and affiliative interactions.
	The Hiss Hisses are unvoiced, 'sharp, sibilant cat-like sounds' (Christian, 1993) and are primarily expiratory. They are emitted in isolation, usually in sequence with growls and snarls. As with the growl, the hiss is used primarily in the context of warning or defence. They may be produced during inter- or intra-specific encounters, and often intimidate the recipient. This call was recorded when a mother with cubs was surprised by the sudden appearance of a large boar. You may have to turn the volume up for this one!
The Coo The coo is an extremely soft, dove-like call that is usually heard in isolation. It is a close range contact call of the cub during affiliative situations.	The Chirp Chirps have only been heard from cubs. They are moderate-pitched, soft, bird-like sounds. The chirp has a petulant note as the cub straggles behind its mother and sibling, prompting a swift reprimand from the female, followed by a gentle nudge.
The Grunt The grunt is a relatively short, low pitched, blunt sound that usually comprises only one or two components per call. Unlike the adult grunt, cub grunts are sometimes given in series. This call is primarily associated with close contact interactions, such as grooming.	Badchat This cacophony of different calls illustrates the variety of sounds that make up the badger vocal repertoire. The following calls may be distinguished: beginning at about 0.7 seconds is a series of yelps, followed at 1.8 seconds by a male churr. A female chitters/keckers at approximately 2.6 seconds, then clucks may be heard at 3.5 seconds. The sequence ends with a couple of chitters between 6.2 and 7.3 seconds.


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Acoustic communication is one of the primary methods by which signals are transmitted between badgers, complemented by smell which provides an essential and more durable message. Vocalisations are a flexible modality of communication, enabling the individual to convey rapid changes of mood to others in the dark of the sett, and the dim of twilight. In addition vocal signals facilitate localisation, and possibly even individual recognition. The badger has a surprisingly diverse vocal repertoire which may relate to both their nocturnal habits, and the relative complexity of their social structure. When communicating with other badgers discrete sound types may be differentiated contextually. For example, the growl may be used either in a warning/ defence context or it may be produced in conjunction with a show of dominance. The badger's vocal repertoire consists of at least sixteen discrete calls, varying from long, low pitched growls to short, high-pitched squeaks and bird-like coos. Churrs, purrs, and keckers seem to be restricted to adults only, while chirps, clucks, coos, squeaks and wails are confined to the badger cub's repertoire.
	During the mating season the most frequently heard calls are the male churrs and the female yelps. At other times badgers utilise a variety of vocal expressions to convey a complex series of messages to those around them. Some aspects of the badgers vocal repertoire remain to be explained; for example, why does such an apparently sociable animal have no clear alarm call to warn its conspecifics? And doubtless there are calls we have yet to document.
Calls can be played back by clicking on their names. They are best heard using Windows Media Player which can be downloaded free from: