E-mail A Friend Tell a friend about the information found on this page by sending them an e-mail.   Your Name: Your E-mail:   Type an e-mail address, then click add: Add a Personal Message: (Optional)

Explorer

Past stories Living off-the-grid New Brunswick's Saint John River Ontario's Bruce Trail Canadian Ski Marathon Elk Island National Park Rallying for rallysport Montreal - Circus city Beluga Bytes Dawson - a musical adventure Bald Eagle Confederation Trail Boning up on the badlands Ukkusiksalik National Park Geocaching Discover Cypress Hills Saint Joseph's Oratory A walk through Stanley Park Sudbury's science centre Acadia continues Toronto's underground world

Often referred to as "sea canaries," belugas have acquired a reputation as the chatterboxes of arctic waters. They have an extensive repertoire of vocalization, and they use it often for communicating and echolocation.

Some of the 11 types of recorded vocalizations of belugas sound like mews, chirps, squeals or bell-like tones. They can be heard above the water and have frequently been heard through the hulls of ships. Although it is not thought that belugas use anything resembling a human language, studies have suggested that the types of vocal sounds belugas use are associated with their behaviour.

Belugas also use clicking sounds for the complex process of echolocation to determine objects and find places to surface for air.

Surprisingly, belugas do not have vocal chords, but rather produce sound by moving air in the nasal cavities of their blowhole region.

top