20 of the Loudest Animals on Earth

Human hearing has two components: frequency and intensity. As far as the frequency of sound waves goes, the human hearing range falls between 20 Hz to 20 kHz. Younger humans, like infants, can hear higher sounds.

As for intensity, humans can tolerate sounds up to about 120 decibels, which is the equivalent of a rock concert. As such, you do not want to expose yourself to sounds at that level regularly.

According to the National Institute of Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, "Sounds at or below 70 A-weighted decibels (dBA), even after long exposure, are unlikely to cause hearing loss. However, long or repeated exposure to sounds at or above 85 dBA can cause hearing loss."

Loudest Sounds

A few of the animals in this article are behind some of the loudest recorded sounds, a list that also includes the Saturn V Rocket (204 decibels) and gunfire (about 140 decibels).

Sperm whales produce one of the loudest sounds, with their clicks and calls coming in as high as 230 decibels. However, as humans, we won't understand how powerfully noisy they are.

"Interestingly, I found out that underwater versus in the air are not the same," James Stewart, an Oregon Zoo employee who formerly worked at the Aquarium of the Pacific, told HowStuffWorks in 2020.

"A sound created underwater would be about 60 decibels less in the air," he continued. "So if a sperm whale could make a sound next to you at your desk, it would reach 170 decibels. And that is still louder than almost anything on land. The bulldog bat can reach 140 decibels. Now, with all that said, we can't hear any of those noises because they are being emitted at a frequency that we cannot hear, thankfully."

Synalpheus pinkfloydi, a species of snapping shrimp, has extraordinarily loud snaps, which can reach sound levels of over 210 decibels. By rapidly closing their claw, they create a high-pressure bubble that bursts with a sound capable of stunning or killing small prey.

Pow pow! This little Mediterranean shrimp, also known as snapping shrimp, doesn't make sounds with its mouth, or even technically with its body. It uses its huge claw to shoot jets of water with such force that it creates an air bubble. When this bubble implodes, it generates a shockwave of more than 200 decibels.

This shockwave can kill other shrimp as far as 6.5 feet (2 meters) away, and it creates a flash of light as hot as the sun. For reference, the threshold for human pain — where pure sound causes most people to feel pain in their ears — is 120 decibels. Human eardrums will rupture at 160 decibels. That's some shrimp!

One of the loudest animals on Earth is also the largest animal on Earth. The blue whale's call ranges between 188 to 191 decibels.

We share the planet with blue whales and pistol shrimp, so how do we even have eardrums if these animals are so loud? The fact that these creatures live underwater and we do not protects us. If we did live in the sea, we'd be able to hear the song of the blue whale as far as 1,000 miles (1,609 kilometers) away.

The fin whale is the second-largest whale species. Known for its incredibly loud, low-frequency vocalizations, their calls can reach about 189 decibels, making them one of the loudest animals on Earth. These deep, rhythmic sounds, often below the range of human hearing, can travel hundreds of miles underwater, allowing fin whales to communicate over vast distances. This remarkable ability plays a crucial role in their social interactions and navigation in the open ocean.

Bowhead whales have complex and loud vocalizations, which are critical for communication during migration. Their songs, consisting of up to 20 repeated phrases, can reach peak source levels of up to 189 decibels, making them among the loudest marine mammals. Their low-frequency sounds, adapted for Arctic and sub-Arctic waters, have limited range due to shallow water and ambient noise.

The greater bulldog bat, which is native to the Caribbean, uses echolocation to find food, like all bats. But instead of the more typical insects, these bats feed on fish. That means bulldog bats need to emit a sound that can penetrate both air, where they fly, and water, where their food swims.

Their echolocations can reach 140 decibels, which is equivalent to a jet engine.

But we humans get lucky again in sharing the world with these bats, since these exceptionally loud sounds are ultrasonic, meaning they're outside the range of human hearing.

Howler monkeys may be the size of a small dog, but they make a very loud sound. Their low-pitched noises can reach 140 decibels. And it's no wonder they can make such earth-shattering sounds.

"The vocal folds of a howler monkey are three times longer than a human's, yet they are 10 times smaller," said Jacob Dunn, the lead researcher on a study about the correlation between a howler monkey's noise levels and testes.

Apparently, the study found that the more imposing a howler monkey's roar, the smaller its testes.

The lesser bulldog bat is a highly vocal species with powerful echolocation calls, which can reach sound levels of up to 137 decibels. These ultrasonic calls, used for navigating and hunting, are among the loudest sounds produced by any bat species. Despite their intensity, these calls are beyond the range of human hearing, allowing the bats to communicate and detect prey without alerting predators.

The salmon-crested cockatoo, also known as the Moluccan cockatoo, makes ear-piercing screeches that can reach sound levels of up to 135 decibels. These loud calls allow them to communicate across long distances in their native forest habitats of Indonesia.

Our next loudest animal is the kakapo. This New Zealand native's mating call can be as loud as 132 decibels.

The nocturnal and flightless kakapo holds a couple of other records, too. It's the heaviest parrot species in the world, at 4.85 pounds (2.2 kilograms) for the males. And it's the longest-lived bird — they're known to reach their 90th birthday.

The white bellbird is another loud bird, with calls reaching an astonishing 125 decibels — equivalent to the noise level of a rock concert. Native to the Amazon rainforest, male white bellbirds use their deafening calls to attract mates, often directing the sound at nearby females.

Dolphins are highly vocal marine mammals, producing a range of clicks, whistles, and burst-pulse sounds for communication and echolocation. Their echolocation clicks can reach sound levels of up to 125 decibels, making them incredibly loud underwater. These sounds help dolphins navigate, locate prey, and interact socially in their aquatic environments.

Two species of this bug — the greengrocer cicada and the yellow Monday cicada — are the loudest sound-producing insects. The males of both species can make sounds up to 120 decibels.

It can sound like cicadas are screaming their lungs out at absolutely everything (aren't we all?), but actually, they are vibrating the drum-like exoskeleton of their abdomen. Their tummy calls are species-specific so they don't attract females they can't mate with.

The screaming piha has an extraordinarily loud call. Its piercing, whistle-like vocalization can reach up to 116 decibels. Despite its modest size, the Screaming Piha’s powerful voice plays a critical role in attracting mates and asserting its presence in dense forest environments.

Katydids make distinct, high-pitched songs through stridulation, where they rub their wings together. Their calls can reach sound levels of up to 116 decibels, making them one of the loudest insects.

Hippos are surprisingly loud animals, producing grunts, bellows and wheezing honks that can reach sound levels of up to 115 decibels. They use vocalizations to communicate within pods, warn off rivals and establish territory.

Lions have powerful roars, which can reach sound levels of up to 114 decibels. A lion’s roar is audible from a distance of up to 5 miles (8 kilometers), serving as a tool for communication and territory marking. This remarkable vocal strength helps lions maintain dominance and connect with pride members over vast areas.

The coquí, native to Puerto Rico, is famous for its loud, two-note mating call, which reaches sound levels of up to 95 decibels. Males produce this call, which sounds like "co-kee," to attract females and establish territory. Despite their small size, coquí frogs are among the loudest amphibians.

Alligators' loud, low-frequency bellows can reach sound levels of up to 94 decibels. They primarily use these vocalizations during mating season to attract mates and establish territory. Male alligators produce a unique "water dance" effect during their bellows by vibrating the water surface, adding a visual component to their sound.