- Male whales compose songs, rest of the pod joins in
- Females focus on social noises and communicating
- More than 15,000 whales embark on annual migration
THEY'VE been doing it for centuries, but each year the song they compose is a different one.
Increasing numbers of humpbacks have led to a surge in whale watching along Australia’s coastline, but what day trippers probably don't realise is exactly what they are listening to in a whale song.
Director of the Oceania Project Wally Franklin, who has been studying the magnificent mammals since 1992, said singing a fresh hit was the job of the male humpback while the females focus on social noises and communicating.
"The male composes it and then the rest of the pod all join in and sing it," Franklin says
Watch the video above to hear the whales in action
A mother whale and her new-born calf have ventured inside Sydney Harbour.
About 15,000 whales are expected to migrate from the Antarctic to the warmer waters off Australia's northeast coastlines this year where they'll mate and calve after travelling more than 10,000km.
It comes as a baby whale has been spotted exploring its new world after being born in Sydney waters a few days ago, the Daily Telegraph reported.
Geoff Ross of the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) says the newborn southern right calf was spotted in the harbour on Tuesday.
"Only a few southern right whales are born each year in NSW waters, so to have one born in Sydney is very exciting," says Mr Ross, co-ordinator of Marine Fauna Programs.
Mr Ross said the whales are using Sydney Harbour as a safe haven as the newborn calf becomes accustomed to the water.
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