What does the sound of mice running sound like? - briefly
It is a faint, rapid series of high‑pitched rustles and tiny footfalls, resembling dry leaves brushed quickly. The cadence is irregular, matching the mouse’s swift, erratic movements.
What does the sound of mice running sound like? - in detail
The rapid patter of a mouse’s feet produces a series of brief, high‑frequency clicks that last only a fraction of a second each. Individual steps generate acoustic energy primarily between 8 kHz and 20 kHz, a range that borders the upper limit of human hearing. When several mice move together, the clicks overlap, forming a faint, rustling hiss.
Key acoustic traits include:
- Pitch: sharp, tinny tones with a dominant frequency around 12 kHz; higher‑pitched over hard surfaces, lower on soft material.
- Temporal pattern: irregular bursts of 5‑15 clicks per second, reflecting the animal’s erratic gait.
- Amplitude: typically 20‑30 dB SPL at a distance of 30 cm, barely audible in quiet rooms but masked by ambient noise.
The sound changes noticeably with the substrate:
- Hard floors (tile, wood): crisp, resonant clicks; higher amplitude, clearer articulation.
- Carpet or loose bedding: muffled, softer rustle; frequency content shifts downward, overall loudness decreases.
- Vertical movement (climbing): added scuffling of claws against walls or wires, producing a subtle scraping component.
Environmental factors also affect perception. In a reverberant space, echoes lengthen the tail of each click, creating a faint, continuous chatter. In an anechoic chamber, the clicks are isolated and more distinct.
Detection methods:
- Human ear: can perceive the highest‑frequency clicks in a silent setting; low‑frequency components often go unnoticed.
- Microphones: condenser or electret models with a flat response up to 20 kHz capture the full spectrum; placement 10‑20 cm from the source yields optimal signal‑to‑noise ratio.
- Spectral analysis: Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) displays a concentrated band around 10‑15 kHz, useful for species identification and activity monitoring.