What species of whale is known for singing long, complex songs?

The species of whale known for singing long, complex songs is the humpback whale.

Male humpback whales sing during the breeding season, producing sequences of sounds organized into units, phrases and themes. A complete song can last for minutes, and some whales have been recorded vocalizing repeatedly for hours. Their songs may travel many kilometres through the ocean.

Scientists once thought the songs were used mainly to attract females, but their exact purpose remains unsettled. Singing may play a role in courtship, competition or communication. Males in the same region often share a song pattern, and populations can gradually change the song over time as whales copy new phrases.

Humpback whales do not sing with vocal cords in the human manner. They produce specialized underwater sounds, and only males are generally observed performing the elaborate songs. Bowhead whales also make complex vocalizations, but humpbacks are the species most strongly associated with whale song in general-audience trivia.