As love songs go, this one is a little unsettling

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It was spooky. A low rumble in the swamp that got louder, trailed off, then began again.

It came from the slough alongside the Spillway Trail at Brazos Bend State Park. When I peered over the edge of the levee, a burly alligator thrust itself out of the water, flashing that permanent alligator smile and letting out a long, slow growl that rose from deep in its belly.

The sound is apparently part of alligator courtship; although that isn’t the only time they do it.

A University of Florida zoology researcher explains the steps involved in this “bellowing” activity, where an alligator:

1. Raises its head out of the water and takes big gulps of air
2. Arches its tail and brings its head up at an angle
3. Begins releasing a sound too low to be audible but powerful enough to make the water around it “dance”
4. Expands its bellow into a deep roar that carries across the marsh and often provokes a response from other gators, including prospective mates

As described, it sounds a lot like what some of my junior high classmates did to belch on demand. Here’s an idea of what it sounds like, though what I heard was deeper with a little bit less of a gargle …

There’s apparently a related behavior where an alligator snaps its jaw shut as it whacks its head down onto the water like a bad bellyflop, but I’ve never seen it in person. It’s called headslapping.

Late spring mornings like this are the most common time to hear alligators bellowing. When a group gets going, as it did this morning, it’s called a chorus. I watched and listened for about 10 minutes and then the gator went silent and slipped quietly back under the water.