The Voices of Nature: How and Why Animals Communicate

Voices of Nature describes how animals use sound to express emotion, to choose a mate, to trick others, to mark their territory, to call for help, and more. Mathevon explains how the science of bioacoustics works to decipher the ways animals make and hear sounds, what information is encoded in these sound signals, and what this information is used for in daily life.

"The Voices of Nature is an immersive sonic journey, led by a tour guide with extensive knowledge of the subject. Some of the behaviours and adaptations described here delighted me, serving as powerful reminders that we underestimate animals, and that evolution comes up with ingenious solutions to the challenges animals face."—Leon Vlieger, Inquisitive Biologist

"A good read . . .The book makes a very digestible introduction to the contemporary field of bioacoustics for anyone with an interest in animal behaviour, including chapters on the physics of sound, noise and communication theory, the evolution of hearing, vocal learning and social networking."—Geoff Sample, Ibis