Early morning and late afternoon: squirrels
Quick running and scratching, sometimes a rolling sound like a nut being moved, starting around sunrise and again before dark. Squirrels are quiet at night.
They get in at the roof edge, often where two roof lines meet or behind a gutter.
Heavy steps at night: raccoons
Thumping that sounds like a person or a big dog walking, after dark. In spring you may also hear young crying or chattering.
Raccoons pull soffit panels and roof vents loose, so look for damage at the roof edge from the yard.
Rustling at dusk: bats
A light rustling or squeaking in a wall or the attic around dusk, when the bats wake up and leave. Small dark droppings under a gap are another sign.
Bats are let out with one-way exits, never trapped, and the house is sealed only when any young can fly.
Light scratching at night: mice and rats
Small, quick scratching inside the walls or the ceiling at night, often worse in fall and winter. Droppings in the attic, the basement or the kitchen cabinets confirm it.
Chirping in the daytime: birds
Chirping from a vent, a gap in the soffit or the chimney in spring is usually a nest of starlings or sparrows.
Before you call
Do not block any hole you find, because an animal or its young may be inside. Write down what you hear and when, and tell us on the phone.
- What the sound is like
- What time of day it happens
- Which room or part of the roof it comes from
- Any droppings, smells or damage you have seen