The Call of the Loon

The call of the common loon is one of the most well-known and comforting sounds heard on lakes from upstate New York and into Canada.  They give a rising 2-note wail, sometimes topping it off with a higher 3rd note.  The call is very haunting, and sometimes sounds like wolves howling.  A good example of multiple individuals wailing can be found here.

Another common type of call is the "laughing call", which is actually the alarm call of the birds. It is also sometime used in territory defense.  This call is a series of quick rising rising and falling notes that actually sounds a bit like laughter.  This call, and other loon calls, can be heard here.