Variations in Vocalizations of Fin Whales, Balaenoptera physalus, in the St. Lawrence River ...

• Main Author: Edds, Peggy Louise
• Format: Thesis
• Language: unknown
• Published: Digital Repository at the University of Maryland 1980
• Subjects: Lawrence River; Balaenoptera physalus
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.13016/mzia-ph9q; https://drum.lib.umd.edu/handle/1903/32590

Recordings were made of vocalizations from fin whales, Balaenoptera physalus from a fixed hydrophone in the St. Lawrence River between 28 June and 27 September 1979. Land-based observers monitored activity from a hillside hut while recordings were being made from a shoreline site. Photographs of dorsal fin variations were used to identify distinctive individuals. The 1522 sounds recorded were classified into 11 categories based on frequency and temporal characteristics. The predominant call was a descending sweep of frequencies. Parameters measured for this downsweep exhibited a dichotomy of characteristics which indicates calls with initial frequencies below 40 Hz have less variability than calls with initial frequencies above 40 Hz. In general, solitary animals produced primarily the lower frequency downsweeps. Higher frequency downsweeps were recorded from pairs or trios of fin whales. Solitary individuals did not exhibit unique variations in downsweep parameters. No clusters of values which might ...