How do alpacas communicate?
Alpacas communicate through body posture, tail and ear movements, and a variety of sounds. The sound heard most often is a soft humming, a mild expression befitting a gentle animal. Dams make a soft clucking sound to reassure and communicate with their cria. When an intruder (be it a house cat, deer or predator) is sighted nearby, a high pitched call is sounded to warn the herd. During breeding, males make a melodious, rhythmic sound called orgling.
Alpaca vocalizations can be divided into five categories, including humming, ‘orgling’, screaming, clucking and alarm call. The most common sound is a humming noise. A female will hum to her cria and, in turn, the cria will respond with a softer hum. Alpacas also hum in uncertain circumstances or if they are worried or stressed. Males make a very strange sound, called an ‘orgle’ while they are breeding. Sometimes they make this sound if there is an ‘open’ female on the other side of the fence. A breeding typically lasts 20-minutes or longer, with the male ‘orgling’ continuously. Upon hearing an orgle, other females will gather by the fence with ‘open’ females laying down (cushing) so as to be ready for breeding. This ‘orgling’ sound also gets the attention of other males, often resulting in fights or squirmishes in the nearby fields. When males are close at hand, it is appropriate to breed a female away from the rest of the herd if at all possible. A male alpaca will occasionally snort
They use body language a lot, employing ear, body and tail movements, coupled with a variety of soft humming sounds. Alpacas also can emit a shrill alarm sound, if they spot a fox, for example. Alpacas may occasionally cluck with their tongue to express disapproval. Male alpacas make a unique sound, called orgling, when they mate. The girls apparently find this a big turn-on!
