Whale Watching Field Guide

Blow
The blow is often the first sign that whales are present, and it can be seen from a few miles (kilometers) away. As the whale expels its breath, a sudden burst of vapourised water shoots into the air producing the classic blow or spout. The whale’s breath blasts out of the blowhole at tremendous velocity, perhaps around 450km/hr. Whale breath has a distinctive fishy smell and can be some what oily if it happens to drift back onto an unsuspecting photographer’s camera, leaving a residue on the lens. The height, size and shape of the blow vary between species.

Breaching
Breaching is perhaps the most spectacular display revealing the presence of the Humpacks. With two or three beats of their tails the whale can propel itself out of the water hurling it’s 40 ton body through the air and crashing down with a tremendous splash on the ocean surface. The reason for the breach is possibly connected to communication. Breaching may act as a punctuation, emphasizing a group of behaviours which may communicate information to other whales nearby.

Breath Holders
A curious behaviour commonly observed by diver researchers around Hawaii is the breath holding whales. Often one or a number of Humpbacks will hang motionless in the water possibly resting or sleeping. Mothers and calves commonly rest in this way.

Bubble Blowing
Bubble blowing is thought to be related to aggressive displays. Sometimes whales produce great blasts of bubbles underwater usually in fighting groups.

Bubble Trail
Often the Primary Escort will blow long streams of bubbles creating a trail as it swims along. This is most likely to shroud the female behind a huge curtain or wall of bubbles so the challenging whales loose sight of her.

Fighting
Male Humpback whales come to together in the breeding grounds to compete for the Primary Escort position with the available females. The challenging males try to displace the Primary Escort and highly energetic sea fights can be observed as the whale do battle for the females.

Fluke up Dive
Humpback whales that are about to dive deep will often take a breath and then roll its body forward and dive, throwing it’s tail flukes into the air and exposing the ventral surface of the tail. The whale then is angled in a downward orientation and will go deep. This is an ideal situation for researchers who photograph the Fluke Ids as they have good access to the flukes.

Head Butting
Male Humpback whales engaging in competitive behaviour will sometimes head butt rival whales in a forceful ramming to gain an advantage or to show the other animal who is stronger.

Head Lunge
A whale sometimes hurls it’s head forcefully onto the water surface creating an explosion similar to a breach. This is generally accepted as an aggressive behaviour and is most often observed during courtship battles between males.

Head Rise
Humpbacks sometimes rise up vertically in the water, exposing it’s head above the surface, and then slipping quietly back down under the ocean. The head rise maybe the start of a spy hop or it maybe just the position the whale finds itself in it’s three dimensional environment.

Inflated Head Lunge
Humpback whales will inflate their throat grooves and take into their mouths large quantities of water which is squeezed out as the grooved pleats are contracted like a huge accordion. The water rushes out of the whale’s mouth as it lunges down on top of an opposing whale. This ferocious behaviour is extremely aggressive, as the whale tries to intimidate the other whale by appearing bigger in its size, forcing the challenger away from the female.

Milling Around
Whale regular take rest period and may just mill around doing nothing in particular. They remain at the surface for long periods with no direction or distance being covered.

Motor Boating
Humpbacks engaged in competitive behaviour will sometimes swim at the surface with their head exposed angled upwards. Resembling a boats bow, they surge through the water creating a large wave and is typically an aggressive action.

Pec Slap
The pectoral fins weigh several tons and slapping them on the surface creates a huge splash and booming sound underwater which can be heard from distance. This action most likely serves to broadcast to other whales and communicate at some level. Females may try and stimulate a response from males by this behaviour.

Peduncle Slap
The peduncle area is that nearest to the flukes at the tail stock. The peduncle slap is a sideways action as the animal throws its tail out and smashes it down on the water surface. This behaviour may indicate a high level of stress and should be regarded as a distinct sign of aggression.

Snorting
Snorting is heard when whales are in a high energy state or are stressed. The air is expelled at a faster than normal rate from the blow hole which vibrates the nostrils as it rushes out.

Spy Hop
If a Humpback raises its head vertically above the surface of the ocean until the eye is exposed, allowing an above water view of it’s surroundings, this is know as a spy hop. Humpback whales are inquisitive by nature and will spy hop to orientate them selves with skylines or look at boats which are nearby.

Singing
Males in the winter breeding grounds are often observed hanging motionless in the water column, at an angle with their pectoral fins gently swaying back and forth as they emit powerful, evocative sounds. They shunt air around the air spaces in their bodies to produce moans, meows, clicks, squeaks and rumbles as they sing complex compositions which may be twenty minutes in length and are often repeated over and over for many hours in one song session. The song likely has a function which is related in some way to breeding.

Suckling
The mother will usually be motionless so the calf can gain access to the mammary slits. The extremely fatty milk is squirted into the calf mouth as it nuzzles the mammaries. The mums and calves have regular rest and suckling period during the day away from the high energy competitive whales.

Surface Lying
Whales seen immobile at the surface are most likely resting or suckling if it is a mother and calf.

Surface Traveling
Whales swimming in a regular direction and breathing pattern just below the surface are said to be surface traveling. This is usually how these animals swim over long distances such as during migration. The pattern will change if something interrupts their progress such as predators or boats.

Tail Cocking
If a whale is stressed or confronted by a predator it will sometimes cock it’s tail ready to swipe the subject which is creating the threat. This is a highly aggressive behaviour and is a sign that this animal should not be approached.

Tail Slap
The most powerful part of the whale’s anatomy is it’s tail. By smacking it forcefully on the surface of the water, Humpbacks produce loud clapping sounds with big splash displays. These can be heard for great distances by other whales. Tail slapping is probably used to advertise the position of the whale. However if used in an aggressive way would become a most formidable weapon and is probably used to ward off killer whales and big sharks.

Tail Slash
If a whale moves its tail from side to side this is called a tail slash and is something like a big karate chop which translates as back off or keep your distance.

Topside Vocalisation
If a whale is vocalizing underwater and happens to surface while still making a noise this is know as topside vocalization. Strange high pitched noised and often heard created by this behaviour.

Threats to Whales
This extraordinary ability to hear also makes the Cetaceans vulnerable to the extreme noise made by human technology. Marine mammals are extremely sound sensitive. Sounds produced from seismic blasting and military acoustic technology may have contributed to the deaths of many marine mammals. However, the single greatest human cause of mortality for marine mammals, is entanglement in fishing gear.

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