How do whales talk to each other?

Whales communicate by sending sounds through seawater: squeaks, pulses, knocks, whistles, groans, and long patterned songs. Those vibrations move efficiently underwater, so a message can reach another whale far beyond sight. The exact sounds depend on the species and on what the whale is doing.

One especially lovely detail is that some whale groups have local styles, almost like accents. Humpbacks may share changing songs across a region, while sperm whale families use click patterns that identify their clan. A whale can also sense sound through its jaw, which carries vibrations toward the ear.