Humpback Whale Song Patterns
Humpback Whales learn new songs as adults, and gradually and progressively and collectively change the sounds and patterns within their songs throughout their lives. The song is made up of several different themes, and each of these themes is sung in the same order. They repeat a phrase of notes several times in one theme before moving on to another. For example, if the themes are A, B, C, D, E, the whales will sing A, BBBBBBB, C, EEE, but not A, C, B, D, E. Within these themes are patterns that are transforming, as whales will leave out some of the notes. It might leave out the note at the beginning and at the end, and then the whale will go on to change it by repeating the beginning note and the end note. Eventually the sequence will transform into a whole new theme.
When male Humpback Whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) meet, songs change. The song changes as individuals begin to make modifications, which are then adopted by the rest of the population. So a few years later, you might not recognize what had become of the theme, but if you listened to all the songs in between, you could see how it transformed. The unique dynamics of the Humpback Whale song changes collectively, which means all the singers within a certain ocean basin sing the same version, and the song’s rate of change may vary by area. In Bermuda one study showed a complete turnover in five seasons. In Australia, it was two seasons.
Humpback Whale Ocean Count 2011
The Humpback Whale Sanctuary Ocean Count offers you a chance to monitor Humpback Whales from the shores of O’ahu, Hawai’i and Kaua’i. The count is held the last Saturday of January, February, and March (during peak whale season) of each year from 8:00 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.
This year’s counts will take place at 15 different sites around Kaua‘i on January 29, February 26, and March 26. During the Ocean Count volunteers count the number of humpback whales which can be seen around the Hawaiian Islands over a four-hour period, and record data on their behavior.
Ocean Count volunteers must be pre-registered to take part in the event. On Kaua‘i, registration is being accepted by calling 246-2860, or by e-mailing whalevolunteerkauai@gmail.com. By registering to be a volunteer for the count, counters must also attend a mandatory training program that includes orientation, what to expect, duties, what volunteers need to bring and a multi-media presentation on humpback whales. Visit Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary for details.
Humpback Whale Safety
Humpback Whale season in Hawaii runs from November through May, with the peak occurring January through March. As many as 12,000 Humpback Whales winter in Hawaiian waters each year, and the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary wants to remind us to stay safe. These acrobatic, 45-ton marine mammals attract wildlife enthusiasts, but collisions between vessels and whales pose a serious threat of injury to both the animals and boaters.
Although the population of Humpback Whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) is increasing, they remain endangered, and the sanctuary was designated to protect them and their habitat in Hawaii. Ocean stewardship is deeply embedded in the Native Hawaiian culture, and the santuary works to enhance awareness of Native Hawaiian values for the protection of the whale (kohola) and Hawaii’s marine environment.
Federal regulations prohibit approaching within 100 yards of whales when in the water, and 1,000 feet when operating an aircraft. These and other federal marine mammal and endangered species protection regulations apply to all ocean users, including vessel operators, kayakers, and paddle boarders, throughout the Hawaiian Islands. “Collisions with vessels are a major source of injury and death for endangered whales in Hawaii,” said NOAA’s Office. “It’s important for boaters to be extra vigilant during whale season, for their own safety and the protection of these magnificent animals.” Photo by Ed Lyman.
Humpback Whale Reunion
The odds that a whale will survive after beaching are quite slim. Of the hundreds of whales that have become stranded over the years, only a few Humpback Whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) were returned to the ocean alive. And even then, it isn’t known whether they will survive for long. Some have questioned if efforts to save beached whales were worth it, believing that the animals were sick or injured and would likely die. But for the biologists and volunteers who struggle in the surf to rescue them, even the slightest chance of success is always worth the effort.
For the rescuers who inevitably arrive to give beached whales a fighting chance, the work is daunting and the outcome is uncertain at best… but for the first time ever, it has been discovered that their efforts can pay off. In November 2000, a Humpback Whale was found stranded on a beach in Brazil, clinging to life in the crashing surf. A team was assembled of nearly one hundred fishermen, firefighters, biologists, and locals who began working tirelessly to return the struggling animal back to sea.
After twelve long hours, they were successful. But, as the whale slipped beneath the waves and out of sight, they could only hope their efforts were not in vain. After ten years of guessing, rescuers are finally sure the whale is alive and well… because they’ve seen it. In 2008, biologists doing researcher in the waters off Brazil spotted a healthy-looking humpback whale with coloring that was startlingly similar to the one they’d rescued from the beach eight years earlier. To confirm this unlikely reunion, skin samples were collected and compared to those taken from the stranded animal in 2000. Now, after genetic analysis, it has finally been confirmed to be the same whale. Never before has a rescued whale been re-encountered after so long at sea, and the news is giving hope to those who continue to devote their time to saving beached whales.
Humpback Whale Song Structure
The Humpback Whale Song is an amazing acoustic display. Scientists first recognized these songs as coming from humpback whales in the 1960s, and have been studying the general structure of the song as well as the characteristics of singers. Only male Humpback Whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) sing, and usually during the breeding season.
The song has a predictable structure with a series of sounds, repeated over time in phrases, with each phrase repeated several times to comprise a theme. A typical song is made up of half a dozen themes that are usually repeated in a sequential order. A song typically lasts 5 to 20 minutes, and then is repeated over and over in a session that may last several hours. The sounds that comprise a humpback song are varied and can range from high-pitched squeaks to lower frequency roars and ratchets.
A striking feature of the song is that it gradually changes or evolves over time. Each year, different sounds and arrangements of sounds form to create new phrases or themes. These changes are slowly incorporated into the song, while some older patterns are lost completely. The change in the song seems to occur in a collective or common way throughout the population, and after a period of several years, the song is virtually unrecognizable from the original version.
Despite the constantly changing nature of the song, all singers in a population sing essentially the same version at any one time. As an example, all the singers encompassed in the millions of square miles of the North Pacific sing essentially the same version of a song at any one time. But, Humpback Whales in the South Pacific Ocean will have a different song than those in the North Pacific.
Humpback Whale Song
The Humpback Whale song is one of the most complex in the animal kingdom. Both male and female Humpback Whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) produce sounds, such as moans, grunts, blasts, hums, whups, chirps, and shrieks, however only males produce long, complex songs for which they are famous.
Whales have no vocal cords, so they generate their song by forcing air through their massive nasal cavities. Each part of their song is made up of high and low frequency sound waves from 30 Hz to about 8,000 Hz, and these sound waves can travel more than 10,000 miles in the ocean. Whales could once communicate halfway around the world, but due to increasing noise pollution of the oceans, this is now nearly impossible.
Males generally sing during the breeding season suggesting that the purpose of the songs is to attract females, and as a warning to other males. The song is made up of repeated phrases and themes, which can last for hours, and will slowly evolve over time, making it different from year to year.
Whales within a large area sing the same song, so all of the humpbacks of the North Atlantic sing the same song, and those of the North Pacific sing a different song. Each population’s song changes slowly over time, never returning to the same sequence of notes. Researchers working together in Mexico, Japan, and Hawaii, found when the song altered slightly in Hawaii, within several days it also altered in Mexico and Japan to match the Hawaiian singers.
