Temporal variation in the vocal behaviour of southern right whales in the Auckland Islands, New Zealand

Seasonal variation is the dominant factor influencing the vocal behavior of southern right whales at their main calving ground in New Zealand's Auckland Islands, according to a year-long study using autonomous recorders. Call rates peaked in August and July, with 'upcalls' being the most frequent, suggesting these calls primarily function as contact signals during dusk and night. The research also found that an automated detector designed for North Atlantic right whales accurately identified 80% of upcalls but had high false detection rates, particularly at low call rates. This is the first attempt to monitor southern right whale presence year-round in New Zealand.

Webster, T. A., Van Parijs, S. M., Rayment, W. J., & Dawson, S. M. (2019). Temporal variation in the vocal behaviour of southern right whales in the Auckland Islands, New Zealand. Royal Society Open Science, 6(3), 181487. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.181487