Pavarotti, the kelp gull

Whether a sound was heard at the time is not known. The pose is not expected to be rewarded with a serendipitous piece of flying food entering the waiting open mouth. A large ego is a possible explanation. Singing or the characteristic gull call is more probable.

The Greek orator and statesman, Demosthenes of classical times, extolled by Quintilian, the Roman rhetorician as lex orandi, the standard of oratory, is said to have practiced public speaking, honing his eloquence alone on the beach where the waves would drown the sound. Burdened by a delicate physical disposition compounded by a speech defect, he developed that ability where his talent lay, becoming legendary as the consummate orator. In his prime Demosthenes led the Athenians in memorable fashion against Philip II of Macedon, the father of Alexander the Great.

While people can individually choose and develop that attribute giving them a competitive edge in accordance with aptitude and inclination, other species have to master the single (or multiple) species-wide behaviour or capability that means success in life. It may be speed, strength, patience or a physical feature like size, shape, colour or any one of an endless list of unique attributes facilitating survival of the particular species.

Members of a species borne deficient in this defining characteristic usually die before procreating, causing refinement of the species through expulsion of the inadequate. Dying young may thus sometimes be a virtue. This is the standard trick of timeous death nature uses to sustain life in all its forms, to increase diversity on earth (and maybe elsewhere) and to render the phenomenon of life wonderful (Wikipedia).