"Cooooooommmmmmmeeeeeeeee heeeerrrrrreeeee . . . . Momma dolphin has something to say"

Learn Behav. 2024 Sep;52(3):203-204. doi: 10.3758/s13420-023-00602-3. Epub 2023 Sep 5.

Abstract

Mother dolphins shift their signature whistles to higher frequencies and have larger bandwidths when calling to their dependent calves during separations involving stranded health assessments compared with separations when the calf is absent. While this shift may reflect a version of "child-directed communication," more research is needed to understand the parameters and function of this phenomenon.

Keywords: Attention; Communication; Social learning.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Dolphins*
  • Female
  • Vocalization, Animal*