Evidence for simultaneous sound production in the bowhead whale ( Balaena mysticetus )

Simultaneous production of two harmonically independent sounds, the two-voice phenomenon, is a well-known feature in bird song. Some toothed whales can click and whistle simultaneously, and a few studies have also reported simultaneous sound production by baleen whales. The mechanism for sound produ...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 2011-10, Vol.130 (4), p.2257-2262
Main Authors: Tervo, Outi M., Christoffersen, Mads Fage, Parks, Susan E., Møbjerg Kristensen, Reinhardt, Teglberg Madsen, Peter
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Acoustics
Animals
Balaena mysticetus
Bowhead Whale - physiology
Exact sciences and technology
Fundamental areas of phenomenology (including applications)
Marine
Physics
Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted
Sound Spectrography
Time Factors
Underwater sound
Vocalization, Animal
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Summary:Simultaneous production of two harmonically independent sounds, the two-voice phenomenon, is a well-known feature in bird song. Some toothed whales can click and whistle simultaneously, and a few studies have also reported simultaneous sound production by baleen whales. The mechanism for sound production in toothed whales has been largely uncovered within the last three decades, whereas mechanism for sound production in baleen whales remains poorly understood. This study provides three lines of evidence from recordings made in 2008 and 2009 in Disko Bay, Western Greenland, strongly indicating that bowhead whales are capable of simultaneous dual frequency sound production. This capability may function to enable more complex singing in an acoustically mediated reproductive advertisement display, as has been suggested for songbirds, and/or have significance in individual recognition.
ISSN:0001-4966
1520-8524
DOI:10.1121/1.3628327