Responses of wintering humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae)
to playback of recordings of winter and summer vocalizations and
of synthetic sound
- J.R. Mobley Jr.*, L. M. Herman, and A.S. Frankel
- Kewalo Basin Marine Mammal Laboratory and Department of Psychology
and Zoology, University of Hawaii, 1129 Ala Mona Blvd., Honolulu,
Hawaii 96814, USA
-
- *Present adress: Chaminade University of Honolulu, 3140 Waialae
Avenue, Honolulu, Hawaii 96816, USA
-
- (C) 1988 Springer-Verlag
Three natural sounds and one synthetic sound were played back
to humpback whales during their 1985 and 1986 winter residency
in Hawaiian waters. Playback was conducted from a vessel positioned
within visual range of an elevated shore station equipped with
a high precision surveyor's theodolite, used to determine the
positions and movements of observed whales and of the playback
vessel. A playback session consisted of 20 min of pretest observation
with the vessel in place and underwater speaker deployed, followed
by a 20 min test phase during which sound, or a blank tape control,
was introduced. A total of 143 playback sessions, involving a
total of 338 pods (a single whale or a group of whales), were
completed over the two winter sessions. The major response observed
during playback was a rapid approach to the playback vessel, characterized
in some cases by velocities up to 9 km/h and approaches to within
50 m or less. Whales approaching were mainly singletons and, secondly,
apparent adult pairs. No cow-calf pair ever approached. The approach
was selective: 21.6% of targeted pods approached in response to
a feeding sound recorded in summer feeding grounds in Alaska;
8.3% approached in response to social sounds recorded in the Hawaiian
winter grounds in the presence of large surface- active pods;
3.4% responded to playback of winter song; and 4.1% responded
to playback of synthetic sound. There were no approach responses
to the blank tape control. Singing whales have been identified
as males by many researchers. Data from Alaska suggested that
the feeding sound was produced by a female; data from Hawaii suggests
that the social sounds were produced by males. The different rates
of response were attributed to the behavior of sexually active
males seeking to affiliate with sexually mature females. Although
a female may be present in pods producing social sounds, the presence
of multiple males exhibiting aggression may inhibit the approach
of other males. Song did not serve as an attractant for females,
as measured by direct aproach, but may still serve as a basis
for female choice.
- Mobley, J. R., Herman, L. M., & Frankel, A.S. (1988). Responses
of wintering humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) to
playback recordings of winter and summer vocalizations and of
synthetic sound. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, 23,
221-223
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