Humpback whale songs are choreographed to match deep dives, study finds

A Syracuse University study of 16 tagged male humpback whales off Maui found their songs are tightly synchronized with dive stages and movement.

Different song themes tended to match specific phases of the dive cycle, including descent, ascent, and time spent at depth.

Researchers also documented males singing continuously for up to 16 hours.

Published in Current Biology, the findings may help scientists infer whale behavior from sound and improve monitoring of noise and other human impacts.