Enjoy listening to these pods of killer whales producing sounds for two overlapping functions: communicating and navigation (in the form of echolocation). Killer whales produce whistles,...

Aug 8, 2023 · Orca or “Killer Whale” Sounds Orcas are community animals, living in matrilineal pods – each with their distinct cultures and dialects. They hunt collaboratively, using social signals (squeaks, whistles, and chirps) as well as bursts of high-frequency bio-sonar, which we hear as buzzes and clicks.

a collection of orca sounds. Background Image and last clip (c)kalialuvrNO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED

Killer whales, also known as orcas, are well known for their incredible vocalizations. These sounds can range from clicks and whistles to complex songs and even imitations of other marine...

Jan 21, 2009 · Calls and whistles are used only in social communication, while clicks are predominantly used in echolocation. A clicking killer whale produces high frequency sounds and uses the echoes of those sounds to form images of the areas around him or her.

Orcas make three primary types of vocalizations: clicks, whistles, and discrete calls. Clicks, or echolocation, are used by the whales to navigate and forage. Whistles are the primary social vocalizations for most dolphin species; orcas use them in social communication as well, but they are relatively rare compared to discrete calls.

Orcasound connects your headphones to live hydrophones (underwater microphones), your ears to an ocean of sound. Help us explore and conserve marine life around the globe, starting with studying and saving the Southern Resident killer whales of the Pacific Northwest.

What do orcas sound like? Here are some samples of calls, echolocation clicks, and whistles that are made by southern salmon-seeking killer whales:

The sounds produced by an orca range from about 0.1 kHz to about 40 kHz. They produce pulsed sounds and clicks at rates of up to 5000 per second. These are often described as sounding like screams or a harsh metallic sound.

Listen for Whales! Learn what orcas sound like. Then listen live for them on underwater microphones (hydrophones).