Can anyone ID this sound? Recording attached...

[BigFishGuy]

I heard this sound at like 3 a.m. this morning and recorded it. Sounds like a bird, but squirrel maybe??? Any thoughts are welcome. Just curious.

[Boss .300 winmag]

🤔

[Henrydog]

North Flicker, almost a full moon just getting a early start

[Sitka_Blacktail]

At the start, it sounded like an engine idling and a belt squeaking. Then it seemed to change.

[Backstrap]

I’m guessing it’s an owl mating call. Owl because it’s nocturnal, and mating call because I see other birds starting to pair up.

Otherwise, it gotta be, you guessed it, Bigfoot.

[lokidog]

It is either a Pygmy Owl or a Northern Saw whet Owl. It is hard to tell the cadence in your recording.  Here is the Saw whet.

[Jolten]

Pretty sure it's a whet owl

[Caseknife]

Northern Pygmy owl, 90% is my educated guess.  Sometimes they sound like someone is trying to start an old one-lunger John Deere over and over again.  Same tone as a NP for sure.

[starbailey]

I always wondered what was making that call when I’d hear it.