Researchers in Italy have discovered that African Penguins make six distinct calls that are able to be identified in context, the Daily Mail reported.
Led by Dr. Livio Favaro from the University of Turin in Italy, the researchers collected, categorized and acoustically analyzed hundreds of vocal recordings from 48 penguins in a colony at the Zoom Zoo in Turino. The group was comprised of 15 males, 17 females, eight youngsters between three and 12 months and eight chicks.
According to the study, penguins have four vocalizations of upmost importance: a contact call used by isolated birds, an agonistic call used to warn of aggression, an upbeat song communicated by single birds when mating season hits, and a mutual song made by penguin couples at their nests.
The team also found two distinct sounds described as begging calls used by chicks in the form of a peep or moan, according to The Hindu.
Penguins have been studied for years for the way they behave in colonies and for their mating patterns. The Italian researchers told PLOS One that the African Penguin is a highly social and vocal sea bird. However, before the study, available descriptions of their vocalizations were mostly limited to basic calls.
"Here we provide, for the first time, a detailed description of the vocal behavior of this species by collecting audio and video recordings from a large captive colony," said researchers to the Daily Mail.
Researchers went on to say that establishing a clear and complete classification of penguin vocalizations is important because it can lead to comparisons between species and also contributes to planning effective conservation and management courses of action.
"Indeed, vocalizations have the potential to provide a variety of information about bird sex, age, behavioral state, condition and the relationships with surrounding animals," the researchers said, according to the Daily Mail.
