How to Identify Whales

Whale watching is a popular activity in many coastal areas. While many whale-watching vessels offer narratives of the types of whales you'll see, it certainly helps to educate yourself before setting sail. Here are some tips for identifying the more common whales.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Estimate the whale's size. The largest whale is the blue whale, which is approximately 105 feet long. The sperm whale is the largest toothed whale at 50 feet. The dwarf sperm whale is the smallest at only 8.5 feet long.

2. Listen to the whale. The loudest whale is the blue whale, with a whistle that can be heard for hundreds of miles. The humpback male is the nosiest, but also produces the most varied sounds.

3. Look on the back of the whale's head for a blowhole. One hole indicates a toothed whale, such as sperm whales, beluga whales and dolphins. Two holes indicate a baleen whale, such as a humpback, blue whale, gray whale or bowhead whale.

4. Note the whale's speed. Orca's and pilot whales are the fastest swimmers. The fastest baleen whale is the sei whale.

5. Observe the whale's dorsal fin. If you don't see one, you may have spotted a beluga whale, gray whale or right whale. Whales with a dorsal fin include humpbacks, blue whales, pilot whales, the sie, the minke and the orca.

6. Watch the whales movement in the water. Humpback whales are known to be highly acrobatic.

Tips & Warnings

• A baleen whale is a filter feeder, who seives small fish through his baleen. Toothed whales catch fish with their teeth and then swallow the entire fish without chewing.
• Gray whales have dorsal ridges instead of dorsal fins. Sperm whales boast a hump instead of a dorsal fin.
• The narwhal sports a long tooth and lives in Arctic waters.
• Right whales have large heads with bumps also known as callosities.