Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae, song during the breeding season in the Gulf of Tribugá, Colombian Pacific

Abstract

A key feature of humpback whale behavior, documented primarily on the breeding grounds, is the repertoire of the males’ song. Song is made up of single units combined together into phrases, which are repeated to make up themes. A song consists of several themes sung in succession. This study qualitatively investigates the presence and structure of song recorded in the Gulf of Tribugá in the Colombian Pacific. Data were collected between June and September 2013, from which approximately 4 hours and 30 mi- nutes of song were analyzed from five individual whales. Three distinct themes, always sung in the same order (theme 1-theme 2- theme 3) were identified. Theme 1 was the most predominant theme overall, and was present in each song session that was analyzed. The structure of each theme is described with accom- panying spectrograms, and specific acoustic parameters further illustrate theme progression and characterize differences bet- ween whales. This study serves as the first published descriptive analysis of the song of stock G in this area, and suggestions are made for future directions of investigation. Research on hump- back song is used as a part of the overall efforts of Macuáticos Colombia Foundation to educate the communities of the Gulf of Tribugá about the importance of conservation, and to advocate for stricter guidelines for safe whale-watching practices.