HowLoudThe Loudest Animal in the World, in Decibels
The loudest animal on Earth is the sperm whale: its echolocation clicks reach about 230 dB underwater. On land and in the air, the loudest are the greater bulldog bat (around 140 dB, too high-pitched to hear), the white bellbird (about 125 dB) and howler monkeys, whose calls carry several kilometres through rainforest.
The ranking
| Animal | Level | Where | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sperm whale | ≈230 dB | Water | Echolocation clicks; the loudest sound made by any animal |
| Pistol (snapping) shrimp | 200+ dB | Water | A collapsing bubble from its claw; measured very close |
| Blue whale | ≈188 dB | Water | Low calls that can travel hundreds of kilometres |
| Greater bulldog bat | ≈140 dB | Air | Ultrasonic echolocation, inaudible to humans |
| Howler monkey | up to ≈128 dB | Air | Heard up to about 5 km through forest |
| White bellbird | ≈125 dB | Air | Loudest bird call ever measured |
| Lion | ≈114 dB | Air | Roar audible up to about 8 km at night |
| Cicada | ≈105–120 dB | Air | The loudest insects, measured close to the body |
| Human (scream) | ≈100–110 dB | Air | At close range; trained voices go higher |
Animal sound levels are measured at very different distances and conditions, so treat the numbers as orders of magnitude, not a precise league table.
The catch: decibels in water are not decibels in air
Underwater levels use a different reference pressure (1 micropascal instead of 20 in air) and water carries sound far more efficiently. To compare an underwater figure with an airborne one you subtract roughly 62 dB. The sperm whale's 230 dB is therefore comparable to about 170 dB in air, still louder than a jet engine at close range, but not the 230 dB that would be physically impossible in air (air cannot carry undistorted sound much above 194 dB).
Loudest animals on land and in the air
Greater bulldog bat
Fishing bats of Central and South America shout to find fish just under the surface. Their calls measure around 140 dB, louder than a jet taking off, but they are far above 20 kHz, the upper limit of human hearing, so you would hear nothing.
Howler monkeys
An enlarged bone in the throat acts as a resonating chamber. Troops call at dawn to mark territory, and the sound carries up to about 5 km through dense forest. Close by, measurements reach the 120s of dB.
White bellbird
A white Amazonian bird that weighs about as much as a pigeon. A 2019 study measured its mating call at about 125 dB, the loudest bird call on record, delivered at close range directly at the female.
Lions and other big cats
A lion's roar is around 114 dB at one metre and can be heard up to 8 km away on a still night, thanks to its very low pitch, which air absorbs less.
Cicadas
Ribbed membranes on the abdomen buckle hundreds of times a second. Some species exceed 105 dB at half a metre, enough to be uncomfortable when a tree is full of them.
How loud is that for us?
For comparison, 110 dB is a rock concert near the stage and 120 dB is thunder overhead, the threshold of pain. The full scale is on the decibel chart, and you can check how loud your own pets are with the online decibel meter.
Frequently asked questions
What is the loudest animal in the world?
The sperm whale, at about 230 dB underwater, roughly equivalent to 170 dB in air.
What is the loudest land animal?
Among animals humans can hear, howler monkeys and the white bellbird are the loudest, both in the mid-120s of dB at close range. The greater bulldog bat is louder, about 140 dB, but its calls are ultrasonic.
How loud is a blue whale?
About 188 dB underwater, comparable to roughly 125 dB in air. Its very low calls can travel hundreds of kilometres through the ocean.
How loud is a dog bark?
A large dog barking right next to you can reach 100–110 dB; at a few metres it is typically 80–90 dB.