Abstract

Acoustic communication is central to the socio-ecology of cetaceans. Knowledge of the ontogeny of their extensive repertoires is scant, and even less is known about the role of learning in vocal development. To examine these issues, the development of calls of one male beluga (Del phinapterus leucas) calf was systematically studied at the Vancouver Aquarium throughout his first year of life and opportunistically through his second and third years. He vocalized within the first hour after birth, producing exclusively low energy, broadband pulse trains. Both the dominant frequency and the pulse repetition rate of the pulsed calls increased with age. He acquired rudimentary whistles at ...

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