Communication

The best-studied vocal expression of the wolf is the howl. The wolf howl can mean many things which includes the following: notify other pack members or other packs of their whereabouts, to reassemble a scattered pack, to attract a mate, to stimulate and rally the pack before a hunt, to startle prey and cause it to come out of hiding, when disturbed, upon awaking, after intense play-time, to announce an alarm of an intruder, or when stressed. Lonely wolf pups will often howl in distress.

Sometimes wolves will howl for the fun of it. Lawrence stated that, "somewhat like humans, they enjoy a singsong" and that "Wolves probably howl for a variety of reasons, one of which, I am convinced, is that they enjoy doing so." Lois Crisler wrote that some wolves "will run from any distance...hardly able to wait to sing." She believed that "a howl is...a happy social occasion. Wolves love a howl."

A howl may range from a half-second in duration to about eleven seconds. Communal howls often begin with a few sharp barks and then followed by a low howl that builds to a louder group howl. Wolves seldom stay on the same note while howling, but shift pitches. They howl in chords. Wolf howls can be audible as far as ten miles away in fair weather conditions.

Wolves do not "howl at the moon", contrary to popular belief. Studies have shown that the shown that the moon phases play no role in stimulating howls.

Wolves howl while lying down, standing up, sitting, or in almost any other position.