The Bubble Nets and Songs of the Humpback Whale
Although humpback whales are quite well studied there is still a great deal about their life and behaviour that remains a mystery. Now scientists are slowly beginning to discover some of their best kept secrets.
The scientific name of the humpback whale is Megaptera novaeanglia, which means "big winged New Englander" The first part of the name is after the size of their long flippers that can grow to up to a third of their body length. The second part is because the first specimen was described off the coast of New England.
The scientific name of the humpback whale is Megaptera novaeanglia, which means "big winged New Englander" The first part of the name is after the size of their long flippers that can grow to up to a third of their body length. The second part is because the first specimen was described off the coast of New England.
Humpback Whale Range
They have a distinctive head that has many knobs or tubercles that grow on the rostrum and the lower jaw. These are actually hair follicles and are usually about the size of a golf ball. Each follicle has a single, very coarse hair growing from the centre.
Humpbacks can be very energetic and are often seen spectacularly breaching, flipper slapping, spy-hopping and lob-tailing. Sometimes they can be seen on their backs, or sides, with their huge flippers in the air.
They are widely distributed between the Polar regions to the tropics. In spring and summer they feed in the cool waters and in winter migrate to warmer waters to breed. They migrate further than most, but not all cetaceans, making a round trip that can be up to 16,000 kilometres long.
Hunting with Bubbles
Humpbacks have developed a number of extraordinary and diverse methods for catching food. Sometimes they will simply swim through shoals of fish or krill with their mouth's wide open gulping down huge volumes of food and water at the same time. Sometimes they will slap their flukes or flippers in the water, stunning the fish.
The most impressive technique humpbacks use for catching fish is using bubbles. Humpbacks can create huge clouds of bubbles that the can concentrate into clouds 20 metres wide. They can release these clouds in a single explosive bursts which stun, or disorientates prey.
Bubble Nets
In the Bering Sea and North Pacific they create nets of bubbles that are similar to man made seine nets in design and the way they are used. This is a spectacular technique for humans to observe because the climax of the action takes place above the surface of the sea. An humpback will dive below its prey and release bubbles from its blow hole.
It will then swim around its prey in a spiral still releasing bubbles, forming a net around the shoal of fish. When the net is completed the humpback swims through the center of the shoal with its mouth open. Water is flushed through the baleen plates in its mouth as it rises above the surface. Fish caught in its mouth are swept in by the tongue and swallowed.
Cooperative Bubble Netting
Sometimes in an incredible display of cooperative working up to 20 humpbacks may work together to form a larger more complicated bubble-net. This operation begins at the surface of the water where all the members of the group are found swimming slowly and resting together. When they are ready they all dive below the surface together. It is not understood how they coordinate with each other but about 10 minutes later bubbles about the size of dinner plates begin to break the surface. These can form a circle up to 45 metres in diameter. Suddenly, the whales all swim into the center with their mouths open and spectacularly breach the water simultaneously together, all gulping down fish. They can breach to a height of almost 6 metres so it is a spectacular sight!
They have a distinctive head that has many knobs or tubercles that grow on the rostrum and the lower jaw. These are actually hair follicles and are usually about the size of a golf ball. Each follicle has a single, very coarse hair growing from the centre.
Humpbacks can be very energetic and are often seen spectacularly breaching, flipper slapping, spy-hopping and lob-tailing. Sometimes they can be seen on their backs, or sides, with their huge flippers in the air.
They are widely distributed between the Polar regions to the tropics. In spring and summer they feed in the cool waters and in winter migrate to warmer waters to breed. They migrate further than most, but not all cetaceans, making a round trip that can be up to 16,000 kilometres long.
Hunting with Bubbles
Humpbacks have developed a number of extraordinary and diverse methods for catching food. Sometimes they will simply swim through shoals of fish or krill with their mouth's wide open gulping down huge volumes of food and water at the same time. Sometimes they will slap their flukes or flippers in the water, stunning the fish.
The most impressive technique humpbacks use for catching fish is using bubbles. Humpbacks can create huge clouds of bubbles that the can concentrate into clouds 20 metres wide. They can release these clouds in a single explosive bursts which stun, or disorientates prey.
Bubble Nets
In the Bering Sea and North Pacific they create nets of bubbles that are similar to man made seine nets in design and the way they are used. This is a spectacular technique for humans to observe because the climax of the action takes place above the surface of the sea. An humpback will dive below its prey and release bubbles from its blow hole.
It will then swim around its prey in a spiral still releasing bubbles, forming a net around the shoal of fish. When the net is completed the humpback swims through the center of the shoal with its mouth open. Water is flushed through the baleen plates in its mouth as it rises above the surface. Fish caught in its mouth are swept in by the tongue and swallowed.
Cooperative Bubble Netting
Sometimes in an incredible display of cooperative working up to 20 humpbacks may work together to form a larger more complicated bubble-net. This operation begins at the surface of the water where all the members of the group are found swimming slowly and resting together. When they are ready they all dive below the surface together. It is not understood how they coordinate with each other but about 10 minutes later bubbles about the size of dinner plates begin to break the surface. These can form a circle up to 45 metres in diameter. Suddenly, the whales all swim into the center with their mouths open and spectacularly breach the water simultaneously together, all gulping down fish. They can breach to a height of almost 6 metres so it is a spectacular sight!
Singing Humpbacks
Humpback whale in Singing Position - Public Domain ImageUsing a hydrophone in the water scientists know that humpbacks make a medley of strange noises. They make all sorts of groans, moans, roars, whistles, squeaks and many other types of sound which can form long and complex songs. These are recognised as being the most complex and longest songs known in the animal kingdom and can be hauntingly beautiful.
Humpbacks sing in an almost upside down position, usually near to the surface. They seem to hang in position with their heads pointing to the sea floor and with eyes closed. Sometimes they move their flippers as if they were conducting music.
It is not known how they sing as they have no vocal chords and air is not released and they do not open their mouths. Some scientists think they sing by moving air around inside their bodies somehow.
When they sing it can be as long as 24 hours at a time and sometimes longer, with no or very little break. Most singing is performed by males in their breeding grounds so it is thought likely that its purpose is to attract females and to warn off other males who they may be in competition with. It may also be that the songs have other more subtle meanings or purposes that humans simply do not yet understand.
Curiously, all Humpbacks in one area will sing the same song, with improvisations by individuals becoming woven into the song as they sing it as if the song is being composed jointly. Over several years the music becomes completely rewritten.
It is known that humpbacks in different areas sing in different dialects, just as humans from different geographical locations talk the same language but in recognisably different ways.
Joining in the Song
As scientists develop new technology and new techniques for studying humpbacks more may be discovered about these amazing animals and their secrets revealed. We may one day understand their songs, and maybe, just maybe, we will join in the song!
Humpback whale in Singing Position - Public Domain ImageUsing a hydrophone in the water scientists know that humpbacks make a medley of strange noises. They make all sorts of groans, moans, roars, whistles, squeaks and many other types of sound which can form long and complex songs. These are recognised as being the most complex and longest songs known in the animal kingdom and can be hauntingly beautiful.
Humpbacks sing in an almost upside down position, usually near to the surface. They seem to hang in position with their heads pointing to the sea floor and with eyes closed. Sometimes they move their flippers as if they were conducting music.
It is not known how they sing as they have no vocal chords and air is not released and they do not open their mouths. Some scientists think they sing by moving air around inside their bodies somehow.
When they sing it can be as long as 24 hours at a time and sometimes longer, with no or very little break. Most singing is performed by males in their breeding grounds so it is thought likely that its purpose is to attract females and to warn off other males who they may be in competition with. It may also be that the songs have other more subtle meanings or purposes that humans simply do not yet understand.
Curiously, all Humpbacks in one area will sing the same song, with improvisations by individuals becoming woven into the song as they sing it as if the song is being composed jointly. Over several years the music becomes completely rewritten.
It is known that humpbacks in different areas sing in different dialects, just as humans from different geographical locations talk the same language but in recognisably different ways.
Joining in the Song
As scientists develop new technology and new techniques for studying humpbacks more may be discovered about these amazing animals and their secrets revealed. We may one day understand their songs, and maybe, just maybe, we will join in the song!
References and Attributions
This article was first published on Full of Knowledge 01/17/2014 by zteve t evans -
© 01/17/2014 zteve t evans
Whales and Dolphins, Written and photographed by Mark Carwadine Collins Nature Guide, Harper Collins Publisher Ltd – First Published 2006
The Marine Mammal Center
BBC - Humpback Whale
Earthtrust
Image - File:HumpbackWhale Breaching.jpg - author, Wanetta Ayers – Public Domain Wikimedia Commons
Image - File:Sanco602.jpg from Wikimedia Commons - Public Domain Image