Not immediately familiar with this motif, Peter - which particular drama is it? If it's a bird, at night, the usual culprits are owls, either tawny or barn owls, or even swifts or oystercatchers. Is it certain that it's a bird - foxes for example and even domestic cats can make some bloodcurdling noises. On 4 November 2012 00:23, P <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > David or anyone else on the list who might know, I watch a lot of British > drama. Inevitably, when there is a suspenseful night scene, a bird will > call from a distance with a sound a bit like a person being stabbed, or > perhaps like a bat out of hell. Any idea what that bird might be? > Thanks, > Peter M. >