What sound does a zebra make

What Does a Zebra Sound Like? Ask Google

Matt G. Southern

Matt G. Southern

Google has quietly rolled out a new feature to search which demonstrates various animal noises when the phrase “animal noises” is entered into the search bar. A carousel of animals and corresponding noises appears, which can be heard when clicked or tapped on.

In addition, if you enter in a phrase such as “what sound does an elephant make?”, a similar carousel will appear with the queried animal featured most prominently.

Apparently this feature has been around for the past couple of weeks. Mashable appears to be the first to have noticed it within North America. The Google Austria Google+ page first broke the news in March. In total, 19 animal calls have been added, including:

It may prove to be a useful tool in educating children, or as a general reference tool if a more diverse set of animal noises is added in the future.

Whether or not Google intends to expand on the animal noises feature is not known at this time. Currently it appears to be available worldwide on desktop, iOS and Android.

What sound does a zebra make? Audio sounds, barks & noises

Zebras are an abundant feature of the African landscape.

They hang around in herds, and sometimes even migratory super herds of thousands of members.

You’ll often see them grazing the African savanna, intermingling with wildebeest and impala.

While the bush is alive with the wild sounds of its many inhabitants, zebras are usually quiet, focused on their main task of munching grass.

However, zebras do indeed produce noises that are fundamental to their social interactions. Some of them are very close to what horses sound like, yet they also have a very distinct high-pitched noise that makes them unique.

Generally speaking, zebras either bark, bray, or snort. Such sound signals may express alertness, curiosity, or used as a greeting, to show impatience or anger.

Depending on the pitch and intensity, zebra sounds can either signify a friendly ‘hello’ or a threatening ‘back off’.

If you’re asking, what sound does the zebra make? You’ve come to the right place. Check out everything you need to know about zebra noises.

Different Zebra Sounds

Each sound of a zebra has a function to communicate with the herd or individuals within the herd.

Is there a lion lurking in the long grass, looking for an unaware meal? Cue warning snorts to alert the rest of the herd.

Is a group of females trotting past? Listen for a male’s best bray to get the attention of the ladies.

Let’s take a more in-depth look at zebra sounds.

Barking

Zebras vocalize a distinct, high-pitched barking sound to communicate with each other. Imagine a small dog yapping at the feet of its owner – it’s pretty similar to that.

This zebra sound is a greeting, the standard noise for saying hello to a newcomer or herd member. They will also use it to get a herd mate’s attention.

Braying

This noise is akin to the sound that donkeys make. This is not surprising, considering the zebra is part of the same Equidae family.

Much like its domesticated cousins, each zebra’s bray is different. Some are low baritones others are high-pitched, and they can be loud or soft.

These braying noises are a way of communicating with their mates. As well as to show frustration or anger, zebras bray, starting in a low growl-like sound which becomes louder and more high-pitched.

It’s telling that the same sound that a zebra makes to talk to their mate is also the sound that communicates their impatience.

This is one of the most important noises that a zebra makes because they use it to communicate over long distances. This is particularly useful when it comes to finding a potential mating partner.

Snorting

This is not a very polite noise, yet it’s common with donkeys and horses too. And although it sounds rude, it can be a friendly greeting given by a happy zebra.

Snorting can also be a warning to unwelcome herd guests. It’s all about context, and hopefully, there are fewer misunderstandings than one might imagine.

Would you like to find out what makes them so unique? Click on the “play” button below to listen to the sound a zebra makes. Can you figure out what they’re trying to communicate?

More Zebra Sound Effects

Check out these different zebra noises and hear the array of vocalizations that these seemingly quiet animals make.

Zebra Sound 1

Zebra Sound 2

Zebra Sound 3

5 Zebra Fun Facts

There’s more to zebras than just the sounds that they make. Here are five fun facts to learn more about these African grazers:

1. Are zebras black with white stripes or white with black stripes? This has been a much-contested subject amongst amateur bush enthusiasts and scientists alike.

After recent research on the embryological development of zebras, this argument has a clear result.

Zebras have black skin underneath their stripey white fur covering.

2. Although they seem quite docile, zebras can be aggressive and will administer a powerful kick if threatened. So what noise does a zebra make when it’s angry? Listen for a bray or a snort.

3. Zebras are essential for promoting the growth of new grass on the African plains. Their digestive systems can process old, poor-quality grass, unlike wildebeests.

When a herd of zebras grazes their way through the old stuff, it clears the path for healthy grass to sprout.

4. The common collective noun for a group of zebras is a ‘herd’. However, you can also use the jazzier word ‘dazzle‘. And it is quite dazzling to see hundreds of the monochrome animals.

5. Zebras can run up to 40 mph and will reach these speeds while trying to outrun predators. They will also run in a zig-zag fashion to outwit the big cat or wild dog pack that is chasing them.

What Sounds Do Other Animals Make?

Zebras are just one part of the wild African orchestra.

There’s always another noise to enjoy when you’re on an African safari. Whether it’s elephants blowing their trumpets or lions grunting from three kilometers away.

Now you know what sound a zebra makes, check out some of the other interesting sounds:

So What Does a Zebra Sound Like?

Despite seeming like quiet and docile creatures, zebras use a bunch of noises to communicate. These beautiful striped grazers are prolific in the bush, and you have high chances of seeing them in significant numbers.

If you’re eager to hear what a zebra noise actually sounds like, book a safari and go find out for yourself!

Of course, you’ll have to listen closely to hear the sounds of zebras as they vocalize only when necessary.

What sound does a zebra make? Ask Google right now

Two of the oldest games going have been given the 21st century treatment, with solitaire and tic-tac-toe built into Google’s latest search bar. But knowing what sound a zebra makes, that’s the key.

Along with chess, hearts, freecell and minesweeper, it’s doubtful there are games more recognisable than Solitaire and Tic-tac-toe. This super six have found a home in the digital world better than perhaps any other parlour games.

And now, two are taking the lead. Google’s latest gimmick sees solitaire and tic-tac-toe generate in the search bar after you look them up.

Google’s latest tranche of gimmicks doesn’t stop there, though, with animal sounds and coin-flipping all hosted in the world’s most popular search bar.

The solitaire (search ‘solitaire’) game is very good, geared up with the full suite of features and available on both desktop and mobile browsing.

You can choose difficulty and then, quite simply, play.

If that’s a bit too time-consuming, try a bit of Xs and Os, or tic-tac-toe in American English. By searching the former, Elle King’s Grammy-nominated song of a similar name is suggested. But by searching for the latter (‘tic-tac-toe’), up pops the wonderful little game.

Again, choosing a difficulty seems the only changeable element. Choosing the hardest level means pretty much every game ends in a draw.

Beyond trivial games, there are the other banal queries that populate idle minds. What noise does a pig make? What about a tiger, a raccoon or even a zebra? Ask Google right now; some of the animals are more surprising than others.

Lastly, no more need for coins. Next time you have a split decision to make, simply search ‘flip a coin’ and let Google do the rest.

Google has form in this regard. Previous Easter Eggs have included Super Mario Bros games, the answer to the meaning of life, as well as the loneliest number.

What Sound Does A Zebra Make?

trying to describe this animal’s unique call

When asked what sound does a zebra make, Dan Davies of the Smithsonian Institution says

“Zebras make a variety of sounds, from barking to braying to almost a whinny.”

Davies served as the Zone Facilities Manager at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute in Washington DC for years.

Admittedly, the zebra, known for its dazzling stripes, does make unusual sounds that are difficult to describe. Lauren Nichols of Out of Africa wildlife park in Arizona explains:

“It’s technically called a bray. It’s almost like a mixture between a horse’s whinny and a donkey’s bray. Each individual is going to be either higher or lower-pitched, so members of the herd can recognize each other’s distinctive calls.”

Nichols, Hoofstock Manager at the Out of Africa wildlife park, asked other hoofstock keepers to describe the nearly ineffable zebras sound. Here is what they said when asked what sound does a zebra make:

“A hyena’s laugh that keeps getting cut off”

The last of these 4 zebra sounds matches the name – and sound – of the quagga, an extinct species of zebra that was named by the African tribe of Hottentots, being an onomatopoeia of their distinct ‘kwa-ha-ha’ call.

Listen to the zebra vocalizing

The zebra’s high-pitched contact call or bray is so similar to the yapping of little dogs that some experts describe it as a bark. The zebra’s shrill bark sounds a bit wheezy, and consequently, others sometimes equate zebra sounds with hiccupping. To be sure, zebras make a variety of sounds and vocalisations. Have a listen to these zebra sounds:

Six distinctive sounds that zebra make

When German zoologist and zebra behaviorist Hans Klingel studied plains zebras in Ngorongoro Crater, he recorded six distinctive zebra calls. These sounds that zebras make could be described as:

“Braying advertises territorial status,” says The Behavior Guide to African Mammals. Frequent loud braying is part of the male zebra’s courtship and dominance display.

Not each of the sounds that zebras make is characteristic of all three extant species of zebra. The three zebra species include the plains zebra that Klingel studied at Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Grévy’s zebra found in arid and semiarid environs in East Africa, and the mountain zebra, which makes its home in the rocky uplands of southwestern Africa.

Grévy’s zebras have two alarm calls, the loud snort described above and an additional quiet “i-hah” vocalization. In contrast, mountain zebras are less vocal than the other two species and emit a high-pitched, submissive call.

So the next time someone asks you, “What sound does a zebra make?” you can answer, “Well, that’s complicated.”

What sound does a zebra make. It’s complicated!

And that’s your lot for our take on the question ‘what sound does a zebra make’? Have you heard a noisy zebra? We’d love your input on what it sounds like. Join in using the comments section below!

What Sound Does a Zebra Make? [Audio] 4 Zebra Sounds, Barks, Noises

Posted on Last updated: July 12, 2021

You might be surprised to learn that zebras are actually kinda noisy. What sound does a zebra make? In this post, you’ll learn about 4 primary zebra sounds, barks, and noises. And what each sound means.

Table of Contents

4 Zebra Sounds, Barks, and Noises

Are you surprised that zebras actually make sounds? They have a fairly simple set of sounds and noises for communicating with their herd.

Here’s what each of these noises sound like. Then, we’ll cover what each noise means.

What Do Zebra Sounds Actually Mean?

Okay, now what are zebras actually communicating with each of these sounds?

Here’s what the zebra sounds actually mean:

What does a zebra sound like?

Depending on the specific sound, zebras noises have been compared to:

But while they have similarities to all these animal sounds, they have a sound that is unique to them.

Do zebras actually bark?

Yes, zebras make a noise that sounds a lot like a small yappy dog. It has been described as a bark.

What does a baby zebra sound like?

Not surprisingly, baby zebras sound a lot like adult zebras. From my research, it seems that baby zebras have a more limited set of sounds and noises.

Baby zebras make an even higher pitched barking sound – primarily to communicate with its mother.

Here’s what a zebra foal sounds like:

Travel Tip: To capture zebras and their fascinating sounds, make sure that your safari camera has both a decent lens and a quality mic.

Also, make sure that you know where the mic located on your camera – so you don’t accidently have your finger over it when you’re filming some barking zebras.

Listen to audio of zebra sounds. And learn more about how fast a zebra can run.

Your turn

Have you heard a zebra make his noise? Which sound is your favorite?

Are you planning a trip to see zebras in the wild? Where are you planning to visit? Join me in the comments!