A recent study shows humpback whales actively alter the pitch of their songs when a nearby singer joins. The changes are contextual: whales sometimes shift the pitch of individual sounds up or down depending on how a second singer is vocalising. Eduardo Mercado III, professor emeritus of psychology at the University at Buffalo and a coauthor, said, “They’re listening quite intently and modifying songs in real time in ways that don’t seem to be by chance.”
Responding to a co‑singer and adjusting pitch implies both mental and vocal flexibility. The researchers point out that bats show limited pitch adjustment and that humans can fine‑tune voices when performing together, for example in choirs. The study, led by Julia Hyland Bruno of the New Jersey Institute of Technology, appears in the journal Animal Behaviour.
Authors contrast humpback behaviour with other types of group vocalising in mammals. In many species, group calls show physical strength or signal group membership, as with lions or some primates; animals often increase intensity or join a chorus but do not change their sounds directly in response to others. Why humpbacks adjust their songs remains unknown, and the paper provides a starting point for further research.
Difficult words
- alter — change something in a small or general way
- pitch — the highness or lowness of a sound
- contextual — depending on the surrounding situation or conditions
- vocalise — produce sounds with the voicevocalising
- modify — make a small change to somethingmodifying
- intently — with strong attention; paying close attention
- flexibility — ability to change or adapt behaviour
- chorus — group of voices or animals singing together
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- Why do you think humpbacks might change the pitch of their songs when another singer is nearby? Give possible reasons based on the article.
- How does the ability of humpbacks to adjust pitch compare to humans singing together, such as in choirs? What does this comparison suggest?
- What further research could scientists do to find out why humpbacks adjust their songs? Describe one simple study idea.
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