Whale love songs echo along Australia's humpback highway

Whale love songs and courtship rituals are captivating marine researchers and visitors on the annual humpback whale migration to the Great Barrier Reef.

Male humpback whales, the most vocal and acrobatic of all the whales, perform complex soulful song patterns that can travel underwater for up to 50 kilometres.

The Reef Authority’s Eye on the Reef program manager Chris Jones said research has shown only males sing and probably only do so during the mating season.

“Studies found they're either “love songs” to attract a female or “intimidation” songs to keep rival males away,” Mr Jones said.

As scientists analyse these sounds to decipher their meaning, Master Reef Guides supported by the Reef Authority are using submersible hydrophones to allow visitors to listen to the underwater symphony.

It comes as an estimated 40,000 humpback whales migrate on a 5000km round trip from Antarctica to the breeding grounds of the Great Barrier Reef.

Aquatic acrobatics include synchronised breaching, lobtailing which is sailing with their tail above the water, flipper slapping, and spy hopping, where their head and eyes pop above the surface.

Whale song is composed of moans, howls, cries and other noises.

New research found as songs evolve and change nearby male whales pick up the popular hits and the new song units can spread rapidly and be echoed by different humpback populations across ocean basins. 

“Male humpbacks sing unique and evolving songs, much like human dialects, that resound from Australia's east coast all the way to Antarctica and New Caledonia,’’ the Reef Authority’s Chris Jones said. 

“These love songs, or male whale “pick-up lines”, are passed culturally between different whale groups, constantly evolving as they travel the oceans.”

Citizen scientists and tourism operators help to build on this latest whale research by sharing vital observations through the Eye on the Reef platform – with dozens of reported sightings logged this season.

Whale song studies also found that humpback calves communicate softly with their mothers, whispering gentle vocalisations—demonstrating the depth and diversity of whale communication.

To help visitors responsibly and safely enjoy the whale season, the Reef Authority has released a new video outlining guidelines for whale watching, including the tighter restrictions in the Whitsundays Whale Heritage Area.

“It is important to maintain respectful distances and minimise disturbances to avoid potential collisions,’’ Mr Jones said.

• Fast facts:
• Humpback whales mate face to face, locking into a ‘hug’ with their 5m long flippers.
• Humpback whales grow between 12–15 metres in length and can weigh an enormous 40 tonnes. Females are larger than males.
• The peak whale watching season is from July to October.
• Commercial whaling almost wiped out the entire Australian humpback whale population to only 300 individuals in 1960.
• The Australian humpback whale population is now estimated to be more than 40,000.

• Marine Park regulations include:
• Maintain a minimum distance of 100 metres from whales in general Marine Park waters.
• A 300-metre exclusion zone applies around whale calves and within the Whitsunday Whale Protection Area.
• Jet skis must remain at least 300 metres away from whales.
• Do not swim towards or disturb whales.
• No aircraft and drones below 1000ft

Report whale sightings via our Eye on the Reef network. To report sick, injured, stranded or dead whales contact the Queensland Department of Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation (DETSI) using the free QWildlife app for iOS and Android, or call 1300 130 372 (press option 1).

ENDS

Contact: Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority

Media Hotline: (07) 4750 0846 | media@gbrmpa.gov.au