How do horses produce their whinny sound?

Horses produce whinnies by simultaneously singing and whistling, with vocal fold vibration creating lower pitches and air forced through the larynx creating higher pitches.

Is the high-pitched sound in a horse's whinny a whistle?

Yes, the high-pitched component of a horse's whinny is produced by forcing air through the larynx, functioning as an aerodynamic whistle.

What scientific method confirmed the whistling mechanism in horse whinnies?

Researchers used helium, which causes whistle-like sounds to increase in frequency, to confirm that the high-pitched part of a horse's whinny is produced by whistling.

Home / Science / Horses Whinny Like Singing Whistles

Horses Whinny Like Singing Whistles

23 Feb

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Summary

Horse whinnies combine whistling and singing simultaneously.
High-pitched whinny sounds are produced by the larynx as a whistle.
Vocal fold vibration creates the lower-pitched sounds in a whinny.

Scientists in France have uncovered the intricate mechanics behind a horse's whinny, revealing it as a simultaneous blend of whistling and singing. This discovery, published in Current Biology, explains how horses produce their distinct vocalizations.

The research indicates that the higher frequency in a whinny is generated not by vocal fold vibration but by air forced through the larynx, essentially using it as a whistle. This aerodynamic whistling mechanism has been observed in smaller animals but is documented here for the first time in a large mammal.

Lower-pitched sounds within the whinny are produced through the vibration of the horse's vocal folds, a process akin to human singing. To confirm the whistling phenomenon, researchers used helium, observing a significant frequency increase when it was forced through the larynx, a characteristic of whistle-like sounds.

This study significantly advances our understanding of equine vocal communication, a field that has remained largely mysterious despite the long history of horse domestication. Further research could elucidate the evolutionary history and meanings of various horse vocalizations.

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