How Whales Talk
Whales sounds are produced by moving air back and forth through body
passages. These haunting sounds may be carried kilometres under water and
can be heard above the surface. The intricate vocalisations produced range
from high squeaks to low guttural growls, with many being at a frequency so low
that they can not be heard by humans.
Often, the sounds produced are organised into long sequences and are named
songs. Humpback whales are thought to produce the longest and most varied
songs in the animal world, especially during the breeding season. Only
male humpbacks sing. Each sequence normally lasts ten to fifteen minutes
and can be repeated without pause, for hours. A blue whale song may last
10 hours. Analysis has shown that sequences are always arranged into
cycles characteristic of each population, so that all humpbacks in one area sing
only the local song. These songs evolve with time and each year the song
is a little different.
You can find some whale sounds to download and play in the downloads
page.
Edited by: Poul Vendel | 
