# humpback whale songs **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 3, 2006, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humpback-whale-songs/375132 "2006-10-03T18:07:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Whammo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8dc957/32.png) [@Whammo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whammo)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2006, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humpback-whale-songs/375132/1 "2006-10-03T18:07:26Z")
Do humbpack whales make any sound when they breach the surface of the water? In the movie Jaws the characters are on a boat at night and hear a sound. One guys asks what it is and the other says its the songs of the humpback whale. So, here is what I know and what I would LIKE to know… 1. - its a movie, its fiction they can say whatever they want. 2. - do humpback whales make a sound/sing when they breach the water surface at all 3. - would it be possible to hear underwater whale songs above water :dubious: thanks WMO ---
**Author:** ![cornflakes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@cornflakes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cornflakes)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2006, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humpback-whale-songs/375132/2 "2006-10-03T20:03:12Z")
They were in a boat; the song was transmitted through the hull. In real life, I don’t know if a humpback song would be loud enough underwater to be heard inside a boat, or if there are many humpbacks around Martha’s Vineyard, for that matter. ---
**Author:** ![Ignatz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/3be4f8/32.png) [@Ignatz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ignatz)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2006, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humpback-whale-songs/375132/3 "2006-10-03T22:39:24Z")
Humpback whales communicate audibly with each other by making sounds that similar to long sonar pings. They do this while underwater. The only sound that would be audible when they breach sould be the splash of the water. I have an LP album entitled “Songs of the Humpback Whale” It’s wonderful. You may be able to hear a sample of their songs at [http://www.abc.net.au/oceans/whale/song.htm](http://www.abc.net.au/oceans/whale/song.htm) (My sound is o/o right now.) ---
**Author:** ![wevets](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9a140/32.png) [@wevets](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wevets)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2006, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humpback-whale-songs/375132/4 "2006-10-04T00:23:09Z")
[QUOTE=Ignatz] They do this while underwater. The only sound that would be audible when they breach sould be the splash of the water. [/quote] While the famed humpback song is sung underwater, I suppose it’s possible the whale could be vocalizing as it breaches - we’d never hear it though because, as you say, it would be drowned out by the tremendous splash. Besides, air transmits sounds far more weakly than water does, so you would have to be very close indeed to hear a sound vocalized during the breach. Not somewhere you want to be when a 45-ton whale is briefly in mid-air. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2006, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humpback-whale-songs/375132/5 "2006-10-04T00:26:59Z")
[QUOTE=Whammo] \ 3. - would it be possible to hear underwater whale songs above water :dubious: thanks WMO [/QUOTE] Yes I’ve heard it many times whilst overnighting in our 38’ Marlin. We were off Ogunquit, Maine about 12 miles when I last heard it through our hull. Kinda cool… ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2006, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humpback-whale-songs/375132/6 "2006-10-04T12:19:57Z")
OK, I just went to Amazon, & heard an excerpt from Whalesong. It is every bit as oddly moving as I’ve heard people say it is.