Part II: 4 Hearing Facts About Animals

We’ve covered the hearing abilities of cats, dolphins, elephants, and katydids. Now we’re moving on to moths, pigeons, tarantulas, whales, and common pet birds.   

Moths and Pigeons

Did you know that moths and pigeons are the animals with the best hearing abilities? 

Moths have the best high-frequency hearing abilities. They can detect sounds reaching up to 300,000 Hz. To get a better idea, the average healthy human’s hearing abilities can only reach 20,000 Hz. Moths and bats are each evolving at a fast pace, developing better hearing abilities with each new generation.  

Pigeons have amazing abilities when it comes to navigation, because of their exceptional hearing. Pigeons can detect infrasound, which has frequencies that are too quiet for the human ear to recognize. The earth’s electromagnetic field produces infrasound, which provide pigeons with a 360-degree sonic view of their environment and lets them efficiently evaluate the area.  

Tarantulas

Tarantulas do not have ears or an auditory system, so they do not hear as humans do. Instead, they feel sound waves in order to guide themselves through their environment. The hairs on their legs are very sensitive, so they can feel air passing through them whenever sounds occur. Smaller spiders, such as jumping spiders and ogre-faced spiders, feature nerve cells on their forelegs that transmit signals to the brain when it detects various frequencies. These sound waves can assist spiders in locating prey up to six feet away.       

Whales

The hearing abilities of sea mammals like dolphins and whales have stunned researchers. The animals can hear well underwater, but for a while, researchers were unsure how since they did not have external ears. It turns out that a whale’s skull makes sounds louder via bone conduction. Blue whales and humpback whales can communicate sounds that reach more than tens of thousands of miles. In other words, a whale that swims in Ireland can communicate with a whale swimming in the Caribbean. 

Growing research has shown that human activity (commercial fishing, noise pollution, and oil drilling) have interfered with the whales’ ability to communicate with each other. There hasn’t been conclusive evidence about this interference, but scientists hypothesized that because it’s so dark in the water, especially in the deeper areas or at night, whales depend on their hearing abilities more than their visual abilities. This could disturb their mating and migration patterns.   

Domestic Birds and Music

If you have a cockatoo, finch, or parakeet, playing music for them can improve their mood. Birds process sounds very similar to humans, and just like humans, they have their own taste. Some pet owners noticed their parrots loved music genres that they dislike. Male birds usually end up repeating songs they like. Most birds prefer soft, relaxing music, like classical and smooth jazz, no matter what they personally enjoy. If you’re a bird owner, try creating a playlist that you can enjoy together.    

If you are a human, or know of another human who needs a hearing test and hearing aids, contact us at Pure Sound Hearing for a complimentary hearing test and consultation. 

contact us