The Tibetan macaque is a highly vocal species that uses around twelve distinct calls. Their calls can be grouped into two categories: clear calls and harsh calls.

Five different calls are clear calls, and they owe their name to the fact that they are clearly organized and musical. In this group, we have coos, squawks, leap coos, weeping calls, and modulated tonal screams.

Tibetan macaques use so-called coo sounds during foraging and group movements. They are short, harmonic calls, probably used to reinforce group cohesion.

Leap coos are clear and tonal. They get their moniker from the fact that when heard, one can clearly spot a “leap” in frequency toward the end of the call. Adults use them when foraging, during group movements, and even in response to the presence of tourists. Juveniles, on the other hand, also use them during weaning.

Squawks are similar to coos, but they are plosive calls and are placed on top of a loud, messier background with lots of higher-pitched sounds. These are emitted by males during mating. Females also emit calls during mating, but unlike males, they’re quieter and much shorter in duration. These calls are not well understood but are often referred to as female copulation calls.

Weeping calls are also uttered by juveniles. Similarly to leap coos, they are uttered after being rejected or avoided by mothers who have started weaning their offspring.

Modulated tonal screams are uttered by subordinate males and females when threatened or attacked. They are not used by dominant males. They are clear and tonal, with separate and noticeable changes in their pitch and tone.

Harsh calls are instead atonal and jumbled up, meaning that they are often superimposed onto messier sounds.

Squeals, noisy screams, growls, compound squeaks, pants, and the previously mentioned female copulation calls are all harsh calls.

Squeals are uttered by submissive members during intra-group aggression. Squeals are usually made of different frequencies combined.

Noisy screams are used in different situations, for example, during in-group aggression, foraging, or when the group is separated. As the name suggests, they resemble screams as they are harsh, atonal, and can be either very short, almost explosive, or incredibly long.

Growls are calls that Tibetan macaques use during aggression, dominance displays, and, surprisingly, while waiting for food. Barks are also emitted during aggression, but they’re mostly emitted by higher-ranking individuals attacked or threatened by lower-ranking ones. They’re often heard at the end of other aggressive calls.

Compound squeaks are mixed or compound explosive sounds, often emitted during serious aggression. Young Tibetan macaques also use them while being weaned.

Pants are very quiet, breathy calls, used during harassment and aggression within the group.

As an incredibly despotic species, it is no surprise that many of these calls are used during agonistic encounters—uttered in response to threats and violence or as a way to deter aggressors. However, many of these calls are also employed during foraging and traveling. Females, in particular, are much more likely to call other group members when searching for food. Nevertheless, even female Tibetan macaques tend to be of a tyrannous nature compared to some other macaque species.

Besides vocal communication, visual cues play an important role in the lives of Tibetan macaques. For example, approximately 39% of decision-making regarding group movement is accompanied by visual signals such as glances and pauses. In other words, visual cues are often used to “recruit” individuals and coordinate movement from one place to another.

Finally, physical contact, such as grooming, embracing, and genital touching—in males in particular—plays a significant role in friendly and peaceful interactions. Higher-ranking females are particularly sought after when it comes to grooming; they’re often followed by lower-ranking females in a fan-like fashion. Tibetan macaques spend up to 20% of their day grooming each other.