Book 1, Question 39
Why Do Whales Sing? Songs That Travel for Miles!
Whale songs are some of the ocean's most amazing sounds! Sound travels far in water, and the page says whale songs can travel for miles. Male humpbacks sing complex, patterned songs, often in breeding season, and whales also use clicks and echoes to navigate, find food and stay connected. A humpback song can last more than 20 minutes. With a grown-up, listen to a short recording of whale sounds and look for patterns.
From the book
Page from A Million Whys Book 1
More fun facts
- Scientists think only male humpback whales sing.
- Humpback songs have a clear structure. Short repeated pieces called phrases are grouped into bigger themes that come in order.
- All the males in one breeding area sing the same version of the song, and sometimes they sing together in choruses.
- A male humpback can sing for five minutes or for more than 24 hours, repeating the same song over and over.
- Songs are heard most in winter breeding grounds, but recordings show males also sing at feeding grounds and while migrating.
- Most humpbacks travel thousands of miles each year between summer feeding grounds and winter breeding grounds.
- Female and young humpbacks do not sing songs, but they do make shorter sounds called social calls.
- A 1970 album called Songs of the Humpback Whale made humpbacks some of the most listened to whales in the world.
Questions kids ask
Do female humpback whales sing?
Scientists believe only males sing songs. Females and young whales make shorter sounds called social calls.
How long can a whale sing?
A male humpback can sing for anywhere from five minutes to more than 24 hours.