The Humpback Whale’s Range of Hearing Is Not What was Believed

Researchers from the University of Queensland, Australia, and the National Marine Mammal Foundation in San Diego, California, recently joined forces to determine the true range of hearing in humpback whales.

Prior to this study, estimates of the frequency range were determined based on the anatomy of whales’ ears. It was thought the range of hearing for a humpback whale was 100 Hz to 17K Hz (humans typically have a range of hearing between 20 Hz to 20k Hz). The new research determined that the range of hearing of humpback whales is greater, from less than 80 Hz to over 22 kHz!

But how do you assess the hearing of a whale? Using behavioral observation audiometry (BOA), researchers presented sounds from a boat in the direct path of a migrating whale group. They then watched changes in the whale’s behavior, such as slowing down, speeding up, or turning towards or away from the sound. Sometimes the whales would swim directly towards the boat, circle it, and then resume their migration. The responses were then used to create an audiogram for humpback whales.

The findings have practical implications for managing the impacts of human-generated noise on the whales. Researchers report that further study of the whales’ higher-frequency hearing will assist with noise-impact assessments. A better understanding of humpback hearing allows us to better protect them from human interference. Marion Downs would be so proud!

Reference

Perfetto, I. (2026, March 2). Hearing tests reveal Humpbacks’ unexpected sensitivity to high-frequency noise. ConnectSci.