Gator Song - May 19, 2019, 1am. Anhinga Trail, Everglades National Park, Florida. Recorded by Lang Elliott. This is a binaural soundscape. Please listen with headphones for a spacious, immersive experience.
In the middle of the night, along the Anhinga Trail boardwalk in the Everglades, I hear the gentle purring of crickets, a distant chorus of frogs, random splashes and pops, and chuck-will’s-widows chanting their night-songs. Then, quite suddenly, a surprise—I hear, and even feel, a sonorous, drawn-out growl, coming from nearby. It’s the unmistakable low-pitched mating bellow of a male alligator.
Almost instantly, another joins in, and then another. The bellowing is clearly contagious. And then a male growls loudly from directly below me—he’s right under the boardwalk, no more than a foot or two from my feet! The bellowing continues for several more minutes, and then, just as suddenly, the alligators fall silent. Once again, all I hear are the songs of the crickets and frogs.
NOTE: This recording has some very loud super low frequency content that will knock-your-socks-off if your headphones or speakers allow you to hear it.
