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Migratory behavior of eastern North Pacific gray whales tracked using a hydrophone array
Regina A Guazzo1, Tyler A Helble2, Gerald L D'Spain1
1Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America.
Plos One
|October 31, 2017
Summary
Eastern North Pacific gray whales (Eschrichtius robustus) are acoustically active during their migration. Their vocalizations and swimming patterns vary with time of day and season, providing new insights into this long journey.
Area of Science:
- Marine Mammal Acoustics
- Animal Migration Studies
- Bioacoustics
Background:
- Eastern North Pacific gray whales undertake one of the longest annual migrations.
- Vocal behavior of gray whales during migration is poorly understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate gray whale acoustic behavior and sound use during migration.
- To detect, localize, and track gray whales using a hydrophone array.
- To analyze changes in swimming and acoustic behavior on daily and seasonal scales.
Main Methods:
- Deployment of a sparse hydrophone array offshore of central California.
- Detection, localization, and tracking of gray whales over a full migration season.
- Verification and analysis of 10,644 gray whale M3 calls grouped into 280 tracks.
Main Results:
- Gray whales are acoustically active during migration, with significant daily and seasonal variations in calling rates and acoustic behavior.
- Observed calling rate of 5.7 calls/whale/day, higher than previously reported.
- Mean swimming speed of 1.6 m/s, with greater variation at night.
- M3 calls produced with a source level of 156.9 dB re 1 μPa at 1 m.
Conclusions:
- Gray whale vocalizations confirm migration timing and reveal complex acoustic activity.
- Swimming and acoustic behaviors exhibit daily and seasonal patterns.
- Call characteristics are influenced by site-specific propagation.
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