What Is This Howler Monkey Saying?

Howler monkeys get their name for a pretty obvious reason: their howling. With a rough and deep tone, these monkeys communicate using a powerful howling noise, which can be intimidating. So what might different kinds of howls mean? This video by Science News shows a howler monkey letting out a roar. Read on to learn more about howler monkey howls.

Why Do Howler Monkeys Howl?

Howler monkeys let out a deep and carrying roar that can travel long distances in their forest environments. They communicate repeatedly, letting out roar after roar to interact with other howler monkeys. This long-distance communication is beneficial for interactions between groups, allowing for territorial awareness and helping to avoid confrontations. While the roars are intimidating to humans, howler monkeys are generally not aggressive toward people and instead focus on other monkeys. For other monkeys, approaching howler monkey groups can be dangerous, as the roars often signal a readiness to defend their territory. This makes it important for howler monkeys to be alert and listen for the howls of rival groups.

Howls play several roles for this species. While they are mostly used for communicating territory, they also serve as mating calls. Males are often the ones that roar the most, and a lower, more resonant howl can be attractive to females. While the primary function of howler monkey howls is territorial, howling also plays a direct role in mating, as males use their calls to attract females and females may use the calls to assess potential mates. Compared to males, female howler monkeys have a higher-pitched roar. Their roars are quieter, less resonant, and occur in shorter bouts. The howls still serve the same territorial defense purpose as those of males, and a female’s howl may prompt a male to respond with more howling.

Howling Anatomy

Also found in humans, the hyoid bone is the most important anatomical feature for howler monkeys’ roars. The hyoid bone, also known as the lingual bone, is a horseshoe-shaped bone located between the chin and the neck. This bone is involved in functions such as breathing, swallowing, and supporting the tongue, making it essential for communication. Howler monkeys have large hyoid bones that amplify their roars, helping the sound resonate over long distances. They also have larger vocal tracts, which contribute to this effect. Using this anatomy, howler monkeys can roar, grunt, or make coughing-like sounds to communicate with each other.