Rhythm of the Night Trivia Quiz

Answer: Wolves

In the early 1990s the Grey Wolf was reintroduced to Yellowstone National Park and, within two decades, it was estimated that 98 wolves in 10 packs hunted within the park boundaries. The song of the wolf is perhaps the most beautiful and most haunting of all its animal brethren. The high pitch, tone and vocal suspension of howls enable the sound to carry as far as 6-10 miles depending on the terrain. The howl can be used as a rallying cry for the pack, to warn off other packs in the area, to attract mates, and occasionally just for the pure enjoyment of singing as a pack.

Some researchers have found as many as 12 harmonies might exist in one choral howl -- that's what I call rhythm of the night. Because of the high pitch and the suspension of notes, the sounds of wolf howls can carry as far as 6 miles (9.6 kilometers) in the forest and even 10 miles (16 kilometers) across the treeless tundra.

Answer: Nightingale

Bysshe Shelley in his "Defense of Poetry" (1903) said of the nightingale, "a poet is a nightingale who sits in darkness and sings to cheer its own solitude with sweet sounds; his auditors are as men entranced by the melody of an unseen musician, who feels that they are moved and softened, yet know not whence or why." It is the male nightingale that sings into the deep hours of night hoping to inspire a partner to join him.

The song is a sampling of gurgles whistles and trill and has a characteristic modulation of whistling crescendoes.

Answer: Rubbing his penis against his belly

The water boatman (Micronects scholtzi) is not the loudest animal in the world but it has the record for being the loudest relative to its body size. The boatman is the size of a grain of rice but its song has been recorded at over 100 decibels, the equivalent of a jackhammer pounding the ground six feet away.

Interestingly, although the human ear can detect the sound when standing beside the boatman's pond, much of the sound is dissipated as the noise crosses from water to air. The rather unique sound-producing genitalia is a definite rarety in the animal kingdom -- a quite unusual rhythm of the night.

Answer: Humpback Whale

The humpback whale is one of the ocean's most talented performers. Aside from possessing the acrobatic ability to throw its 36,000 kilogram body out of the water, it also can sing. Only the males usually sing, and their song can sometimes last for 10-20 minutes which is then repeated for hours on end. Researchers suggest the song is used for many reasons including attracting a mate, keeping the group together, communication, and perhaps even as a means of echolocation. Whales have no vocal cords so their song is generated by forcing air through their nasal cavities.

Interestingly, the North Pacific humpback whales sing a song that is markedly different to the North Atlantic whales. Although the song may change over the course of years, it never seems to repeat itself.

Answer: Cicada

There are over 2,500 species of cicada in the world, many of which prefer to live in temperate to tropical climates. These are the true percussionists of the insect world. Researchers suggest that the song of the cicada is loud enough to result in permanent hearing loss if placed directly beside the ear for a length of time. The male cicada has organs called tymbals on the sides of their abdomen.

This complex membrane area resonates as the tymbal muscles collapse inwards. The hollow abdomen allows the sound to be significantly amplified. Each species of cicada has its own unique song. Though the song can be heard in the evenings, it is actually at its loudest during the hottest part of the day.

Answer: Mexican Free-tailed Bat

The Mexican free-tailed bat is also known as the Brazilian Free-tailed Bat. It is a medium sized bat that is found in numerous colonies throughout the United States. Their tails make up over half-their total length and they possess wings designed for swift flight. The Mexican free-tailed bat uses echolocation in order to navigate and capture prey. Its squeaks and calls range between 25 and 75 kHz. The males can be especially vocal when they are singing to prospective dates.

Answer: American Bullfrog

The American bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana) is native to much of North America. It has a wide variety of vocalizations in its repertoire. The most common bullfrog call is the mating call which is a loud, low-pitched bellow usually heard in the evening or night. While this call is more prevalent in the males, the females also like to chime in when attracting a mate. Bullfrogs also have a different call for situations that might arise in times of distress, alarm, or to make a territorial statement.

Answer: Northern Mockingbird

The Northern mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) is quite the character. In the animal world it is the ultimate plagiarizer. Only approximately two-thirds of its singing will be of its own invention. The remaining one-third is stolen from the songs of other birds, from frogs, machinery, and even people whistling.

The mockingbird is around the same size as a robin and the male commonly sings in the Spring, while both genders give their best arias in the Fall.

Answer: Barking Owl

The barking owl is native to Australia and Papua New Guinea. It is also known as the winking owl and the barking boobook. Stories suggest there is a link between the barking owl and the legendary bunyip. They like to live in woods and forestland that has access to small streams or lakes.

Many people who have heard their night-time ministrations describe the song as a double dog bark with intermittent growls. Some people have also heard the rare screeching sound that is akin to a woman or child screaming in pain.

The barking owl has been listed as both a threatened and an endangered species with numbers declining largely due to loss of habitat.

Answer: Blue Whale

The Blue Whale is an extraordinary creature. At 30 meters in length and almost 200 tonnes, the Balaenoptera musculus is believed to be the largest creature that has ever existed. Researchers have measured the blue whale music between 155 and 188 decibels and calls with a frequency between 10 and 40 Hertz.

The lowest frequency a human ear can detect is 20 Hertz. The Blue Whale calls have been recorded to last between 10 and 40 seconds, and some songs consisting of four notes have been known to last for over two minutes. Reasons for singing include mating, territorial identification, socialization, and for keeping the group together.