LOW FREQUENCY CALLS OF BRYDE'S WHALES

Authors

Erin M. Oleson, University of California - DavisFollow
Jay Barlow, NOAA FisheriesFollow
Jonathan Gordon, University of St Andrews
Shannon Rankin, NOAA Fisheries
John A. Hildebrand, University of California - San Diego

Date of this Version

2003

Comments

Published in MARINE MAMMAL SCIENCE (2001) 19(2): 407-419

Abstract

Despite significant effort, only two published reports describe Bryde's whale (Balaenoptera edeni) calls (Cummings et al. 1986, Edds et al. 1993). In both studies fundamental call frequencies were greater than 90 Hz, somewhat higher than the call frequencies attributed to other balaenopterids (Clark 1990, Edds-Walton 1997). Through opportunistic acoustic recordings, we obtained and analyzed numerous examples of Bryde's whale calls from three habitats: the Eastern Tropical Pacific (ETP), the southern Caribbean, and the northwest Pacific near the coast of Japan. In all but a single case, call frequencies of 60 Hz or less were observed.