Baleen whale vocal behavior: A synthesis of what we have and have not learned

Abstract

The earliest attempt to record the sounds of a baleen whale was by Schevill and Lawrence [Science 109, 143–144 ( 1949)]. Since that time, a growing body of literature has revealed that sound production by baleen whales is quite variable, including relatively narrow‐band or tonal calls, and broadband, pulsed series with variable repetition rates or complex amplitude/frequency modulations, as well as flipper slaps, tail slaps, and “noisy” underwater exhalations that appear to be communicative. Although interest in the songs of hump‐back whales once dominated the field, numerous studies have documented the behavior and vocalizations of other baleen whale species. A brief review and synthesis of those studies will be provided, and the concepts of “contact” calls, “song,” “social sounds,” and individual variation will be considered. In addition, the limitations of acoustical censusing will be discussed. [Original research by the author was supported by ONR, AAUW, and the Cetacean Society.]