Mysticetes (Baleen Whales): Typically below 5 kHz
The following is a list of Mysticete species monitored by NEFSC Passive Acoustic Branch. Call types that are frequently used to detect specific acoustic events are listed under each specie. This is not meant to be comprehensive of all marine mammal repertoire’s. A complete acoustic event guide is linked for each specie.
Minke whale
Scientific name: Balaenoptera acutorostrata
Code: MIWH
Call types:
- Minke whale pulse train
- Currently includes all pulse train types: constant/slow-down/speed-up
- Code: MWPT
- Currently includes all pulse train types: constant/slow-down/speed-up
Spectrogram image of Minke pulse train
Sei whale
Scientific name: Balaenoptera borealis
Code: SEWH
Call types:
- Sei whale 30-80 Hz downsweep
- Sei whale downsweep spanning 80-30Hz, occurs as single downsweeps or repeated 3 - 5 seconds apart as doublets, triplets, or more. If different distinguishable downsweep types are used, please notify PACM group to add call type
- Code: SWDS
- Sei whale downsweep spanning 80-30Hz, occurs as single downsweeps or repeated 3 - 5 seconds apart as doublets, triplets, or more. If different distinguishable downsweep types are used, please notify PACM group to add call type
Spectrogram image of Sei Whale downsweep
Blue whale
Scientific name: Balaenoptera musculus
Code: BLWH
Call types:
- Blue whale A/B/AB song
- North Atlantic blue whale song: includes all three call types (A, B, and AB)
- Code: BLSONG
- North Atlantic blue whale song: includes all three call types (A, B, and AB)
- Blue whale Arch/D call
- North Atlantic blue whale Arch calls, or D calls
- Code: BLARCH
- North Atlantic blue whale Arch calls, or D calls
- Blue whale mix calls
- North Atlantic blue whale mix of calls including A/B/AB song, Arch calls, and D calls
- Code: BLMIX
- North Atlantic blue whale mix of calls including A/B/AB song, Arch calls, and D calls
Spectrogram image of Blue whale Arch/D calls
Fin whale
Scientific name: Balaenoptera physalus
Code: FIWH
Call types:
- Fin whale 130-Hz note
- Fin whale 130-Hz note
- Code: FWNOTE
- Fin whale 130-Hz note
- Fin whale 20-Hz pulse
- Fin whale 20-Hz pulses (song and non-song)
- Code: FWPLS
- Fin whale 20-Hz pulses (song and non-song)
- Fin whale downsweep/ 40-Hz call
- Fin whale downsweep (termed “higher frequency sounds”, “HF downsweep”, or “40-Hz” call): spanning ~75-40 Hz
- Code: FWDS
- Fin whale downsweep (termed “higher frequency sounds”, “HF downsweep”, or “40-Hz” call): spanning ~75-40 Hz
- Fin whale mix calls
- Mix off North Atlantic fin whale call types: 20-Hz calls, 130-Hz note, and the higher-frequency downsweeps (~75-40 Hz), also referred to as “40-Hz” calls
- Code: FWMIX
- Mix off North Atlantic fin whale call types: 20-Hz calls, 130-Hz note, and the higher-frequency downsweeps (~75-40 Hz), also referred to as “40-Hz” calls
Spectrogram image of Fin whale 20-Hz pulse calls
North Atlantic right whale
Scientific name: Eubalaena glacialis
Code: RIWH
Call types:
- North Atlantic right whale gunshot
- Right whale gunshot: broadband signal
- Code: NARWGUNSHOT
- Right whale gunshot: broadband signal
- North Atlantic right whale moan
- Right whale moan: typically 100-200 Hz
- Code: NARWMOAN
- Right whale moan: typically 100-200 Hz
- North Atlantic right whale upcall
- Contact-call produced by right whales: typically 100-300 Hz upsweep
- Code: NARWUPCALL
- Contact-call produced by right whales: typically 100-300 Hz upsweep
Spectrogram image of North Atlantic Right Whale upcalls
Humpback whale
Scientific name: Megaptera novaeangliae
Code: HUWH
Call types:
- Humpback whale social
- Humpback whale social calls only
- Code: HWSOC
- Humpback whale social calls only
- Humpback whale song
- Humpback whale song only
- Code: HWSONG
- Humpback whale song only
- Humpback whale mixed call
- Humpback whale mixed song and social calls
- Code: HWMIX
- Humpback whale mixed song and social calls
Spectrogram image of Humpback mixed calls