Do giraffes hum, grunt, or stay silent? Discover every known giraffe sound, what science says about their nighttime “humming,” and how you can hear it yourself—complete with expert insights and audio tips.
During an African savanna scene your mind typically associates with lion roars and zebra brays but giraffes remain silent. For decades these long-necked browsers received labels in field guides that they make almost no sound at all because of widespread misperceptions about their voicelessness. Research into the sounds of giraffes has proven the tall mammals are not silent as once believed. Giraffes produce a range of vocalizations during nighttime low-frequency hums as well as calf bleats which can be heard at quiet zoo visits despite their overall quiet nature. The following section analyzes giraffe vocalizations alongside scientific recording methods together with information about how to experience these sounds personally.
The Snap Answer 

• The primary vocalization from adult giraffes takes the form of a low-pitched infrasonic hum which occurs primarily during nighttime.
• The vocalization of giraffes includes both grunts and snorts as well as hisses and occasional bleats which resemble mooing sounds.
• Young giraffes produce high-pitched bleats as they try to reconnect with their mothers after separation.

Why We Once Thought Giraffes Were MuteAnatomy of a 6-Foot NeckThe giraffe voice box exists at the top of its very long trachea. Zoologists from earlier times believed the extended length of the neck made it impossible for effective sound production from vocal cords. The production of sound is possible in giraffes but their sounds exist at frequencies that are below human hearing range (20 Hz).Behavior & Habitat BiasField researchers devoted most of their microphone time to observe the movements of giraffes while they eat and walk because they stay mostly silent during these activities. The wind on the savanna along with tiny vocalizations made it challenging to detect these sounds.

The Sounds Giraffes Actually Make
1. The Nighttime Hum (≈92 Hz)

• A persistent low-pitched sound similar to a didgeridoo extends for 10 seconds.
• This vocalization serves to keep social groups together in low-light conditions when vision is restricted.
• The majority of recorded hums originated from European zoos since their controlled acoustic environments made it possible to detect these sounds.

In 2015, biologists analyzing > 940 hours of recordings from three European zoos discovered a sustained, low-frequency hum (≈ 92 Hz—barely within human hearing) that giraffes emit mostly after dark. The authors suggest this tonal call may help herd members keep track of one another when visibility is poor.

2. Grunts & Snorts

• The vocal range of grunts reaches between 50 Hz and 150 Hz and snorts produce brief broadband sounds. Giraffes use these sounds to warn other members of their group about threats in the same way deer use their snorts to alert other deer.
• It also occur during close social interactions or mild agitation. These are brief expulsions of air with no clear pitch.

3. Hisses

• A sharp and aspirated exhale forms the sound.
• During medical procedures or feeding competition giraffes produce hisses which function as a warning for others to leave the area.

4. Calf Bleats

• The frequency range of calf bleats exists between 250 Hz and 920 Hz which humans can detect.
• Young giraffes use these calls to find their mothers when they are separated but mothers respond through softer grunts.

5. Clicks, jaw snaps & occasional whistlesSoft mouth-clicks or jaw snaps are reported during tense encounters; rare whistle-like notes have been heard when adults call to their young.How Scientists Finally Proved Giraffes HumPassive Acoustic MonitoringScientists deployed directional microphones in barns at Berlin and Vienna and Copenhagen for eight months to record 947 hours of audio. The software detected infrasonic giraffe signatures which proved the giraffes' vocalizations were distinct from HVAC equipment and nearby animals.Key Study HighlightThe study “Hum-ming in the Night: Evidence for Vocal Communication in Giraffa camelopardalis” published in BMC Research Notes (2015) provides this source.The research detected 65 separate hum events that happened between midnight and 4 a.m. to demonstrate giraffes intentionally vocalize instead of producing digestive sounds.Are Giraffe Sounds Unique Among Herbivores?The average frequency of giraffe hums measures at 92 Hz which positions them below elephants (20-40 Hz rumbles) and above cows (100 Hz moos). Giraffes lack the advanced pharyngeal pouch which allows elephants to produce deep rumbling sounds so their vocalizations remain short and faint.Why Understanding Giraffe Vocalizations Matters

• Conservation: Wild population densities become detectable through sound monitoring techniques which eliminate the need for visual observations.
• The hum frequency in zoos serves as an important stress indicator for giraffes which helps keepers adjust enclosure designs.
• Evolutionary Biology: Offers clues about how neck length and vocal adaptation co-evolved.

Can You Hear a Giraffe at the Zoo? Tips for Visitors

• Zoo visitors should attend indoor giraffe barns during keeper talks because the speakers usually transmit live audio.
• A spectrum-analyzer app on a smartphone serves as the required tool. Point the microphone at an adult person when the atmosphere is peaceful during nighttime gatherings.
• Search for periods of inactivity since chewing noises obscure the hums.

Five Fascinating Facts for the Classroom

• Giraffe tongues extend to 20 inches but they lack the prehensile characteristics of fingers while remaining voice-neutral.
• Calves begin producing bleating sounds just hours after their birth as a necessary process to establish a bond.
• During “necking” events males produce grunting sounds when they are in the middle of a fight possibly to indicate submission.
• According to research from 2021 conducted in South Africa giraffes employ body posture alongside hums to generate complex communication systems.
• Giraffes experience better auditory reception of each other's hums because their ears position at shoulder level.