Sound Communications of Black-tailed, White-tailed, and Gunnison's Prairie Dogs

Abstract

The sounds of black-tailed, white-tailed, and Gunnison's prairie dogs were studied in Colorado and Wyoming from February 1964 to June 1966. Observations, photographs, and tape recordings were made in the field and were supplemented by data collected from captive prairie dogs. The sounds of black-tailed prairie dogs were named and had the usual function as follows: ( 1 ) repetitious barks alert; (2) chuckle alert; (3) barks threat; (4) wee-oo contact; (5) snarl threat; (6) growl threat; (7) scream distress; (8) raspy purr pleasure; and (9) tooth chatter threat. The sounds of white-tailed prairie dogs were: (1) repetitious barks alert; (2) chuckle alert; (3) laughing barks contact; (4) snarl threat; (5) growl threat; and (6) scream distress. The sounds of Gunnison's prairie dogs were: (1 ) repetitious barks alert; (2) rapid barks apprehension; (3) chuckle alert; (4) raspy chatter contact; (5) snarl threat; (6) growl threat; (7) scream distress; and (8) tooth chatter threat.