What is Whale Song?

Humpback whale. Source: Christopher Michel, via Wikimedia Commons. Distributed under a CC BY 2.0 license.

Whale song is largely considered to be a display of reproductive fitness, akin to the melodies produced by songbirds. But psychologist Eduardo Mercado III of the University at Buffalo thinks the dynamic nature of whale songs might signify a different function.

In their courtship displays, songbirds rely on the repetition of the same sounds sung in the same way. Mercado says whales are more like jazz musicians, constantly varying the acoustic qualities of their songs. In a new study, Mercado and his colleagues suggest the flexibility and sophistication of whale songs suggest the animals aren’t singing to attract mates but to actively explore their environments.

Read more at my Animal Minds blog: Why Do Humpback Whales Sing?