Have you ever wondered what animals produce the loudest sound in the world? While many animals rely on being extremely silent to surprise their prey, these animals use their loudness in different ways, including to locate other people, defend their territory, court potential partners, and warn their friends of predators.
The decibel level of a normal human conversation is around 50 decibels, and the human eardrum will burst at roughly 200 dB. Many of these animals, though, frequently get close to that level.
Here are the world’s 5 loudest animals on Earth:
1. Tiger pistol shrimp
Pow pow! This Mediterranean-native shrimp tops the list of loudest living creatures, reaching a volume of over 200 dB, which is louder than a gunshot. The pistol shrimp has a large claw that can shoot water jets.
It shoots water jets out of its huge claw with such force that an air bubble can produce. A shockwave estimated to reach over 200 dB is generated when this bubble bursts. This shockwave produces a flash of light that is as hot as the sun and can kill other shrimp up to 6.5 feet (2 meters) away.
2. Blue whale
The largest animal on Earth is also the one that shouts the loudest. The whistling cries made by blue whales to one another can be incredibly loud. They have sirens that can be 188dB loud, which is louder than a jet engine or grenade explosion. We would be able to hear the blue whale's singing up to 1,000 miles (1,609 kilometers) distant if we really did live in the sea.
3. Greater bulldog bat
Bulldog bats may generate sounds as high as 140 db, the loudest among all bat species. They are also known as fisherman bats because they use echolocation to track the movement of fish in water. Since their sound is ultrasonic and ranges from 20 KHz to 200 KHz, people cannot hear it.
4. Green grocer cicada
The loudest insects are cicadas. Their sounds can exceed 135 dB and carry more than a mile when they sing to attract partners. They create the sound via tymbals, which are musical drums that are placed in their abdomen. When internal muscles are contracted, the sound is amplified by the hollow abdomen.
5. Kakapo
The loudest birds are kakapos, which are members of the parrot family. Their mating sounds have a maximum volume of 132 dB and can be heard up to four kilometers away. The thoracic air sac is used to produce the booming sound. It is the biggest parrot species in the world, with males weighing 4.85 pounds (2.2 kilograms). They are also the longest-living bird; some have been reported to live to be 90 years old.
Animals can yell, scream, and holler much louder than a subway train (100dB), which is around the volume of an average human discussion (60 dB). Although the human threshold for pain is 120 dB and eardrum rupture occurs at 160 dB, many loud animal cries are not intended for human hearing. After reading this article, you know which animals produce the loudest sound in the world.