How Do Animals Communicate?

Animal Vocalization

Humans often marvel at the way animals communicate without words, yet we often forget that we are animals too. Other animals communicate with each other and other species in the same ways we do, through vocalization and body language cues. There are myriad species of animals on earth, and each has a specific and unique language for talking to each other, much like humans of various nationalities do. Some types of animal vocalization, or languages, that you would recognize easily are a dog's bark, a cat's meow or a horse's whinny. While they are not structured through verbs, nouns and sentences, these and other means of animal vocalization function in ways similar to language for humans. It is commonly accepted by scientists that most animal vocalization is simpler than human speech, yet some species of animals, like birds and prairie dogs, have elaborate systems of vocal communication that baffle scientists. The most famous example of this is the phenomenon of whale song: certain species of whales have songs, or long strings of vocalization, that can last up to 20 minutes and be repeated for hours.

Body Language

Animals also communicate with each other and humans through body language. Humans use body language just like other animals do, so much so that the skill of reading another person's body language is essential in many romantic and business relationships. Similarly, you may have seen an animal use body language to communicate with you. For example, a dog might cower when it is afraid of being hit or a cat could expose its belly when it is comfortable. Yet they also use body language to communicate with other members of its species. The bumble bee, for example, has an elaborate "dance" that is used to inform other bees of where food sources are. Certain varieties of squids will change color and shape to alert other squids of predators and court mates.

Silence

Another example of the way animals communicate with each other is through silence. Humans have moved away from this form of communication with one another, yet animals still employ the absence of noise or body language to convey a clear message to others, such as "be careful." In jungles and wooded areas, multiple species of animals will communicate with each other by going silent when a large predator is near. Silence is a great example of how species not only communicate with their own members, but also each other. When predators are near, species ranging from birds to insects to reptiles understand the code of silence and take heed.