Captain's Blog

"Humpback whales exhibit a variety of high-energy out-of-water behaviors that are spectacular to witness. A 'breach' is when the whale jumps out of the water. " R. Nawojchik "Yet another distinctive feature of humpbacks is the presence of a series of bumps on the head. " R. Nawojchik "Humpbacks have a step-like base that forms the foundation of the upper, more-typically-shaped portion, of the dorsal fin. This overall shape may be the origin of the name 'humpback.'" R. Nawojchik "For the humpback, the blow is usually described as 'bushy,' reaching heights of about 10 feet or so." R. Nawojchik "The 'lob-tail' is yet another high-energy behavior best seen in humpbacks. The whale is oriented vertically in the water, with the tail and caudal peduncle (the base of the tail) raised high out of the water. " R. Nawojchik "The behavior of showing the flukes, coupled with the flukes’ high variability, makes fluke patterns a perfect characteristic to use for individual identification. " R. Nawojchik Breaching calf R.Nawojchik Rainbow blow R.Nawojchik

by Rob Nawojchik

The humpback whale is perhaps the favorite species of many whalewatchers. Humpbacks are well known for their diverse repertoire of dramatic behaviors, from fluking and breaching to flipper slapping and lob-tailing. Certainly, other species of whales exhibit these behaviors at times, but humpbacks seem to be particularly demonstrative when they’re showing off. Humpbacks seem to be oblivious to our presence and will carry on with their high-energy behaviors even when close by. At times, they seem curious and will approach or circle the Searcher as we drift alongside. (This is in contrast to a shy and elusive species such as the Bryde’s whale, which rarely affords us a close-up look.)

There are several places around the world where humpback whales congregate during mating season. One of these places is the Gorda Banks, off the southern end of the Baja peninsula. During our 12-day Natural History Tours, one of our days is devoted to watching humpbacks on the Gorda Banks. We can (and do) see humpbacks at any point in our trip, both on the Pacific side of the peninsula and in the Gulf of California, but by far the greatest concentration and numbers of humpbacks are in the Gorda Banks region. Although we can’t see the Gorda Banks from the surface, the humpbacks apparently use the underwater feature as a focal point of their activities. This association with underwater geological features is typical for humpbacks and other species of whales. For example, western North Atlantic humpbacks (another population I’ve observed) congregate around Silver Bank and Navidad Bank off the Dominican Republic during breeding season, and around Stellwagen Bank off New England during the summer feeding season.

In addition to their spectacular behavioral repertoire, another aspect of humpback whales that makes them fan favorites is that humpbacks are probably the easiest large whale species to identify. Once you’ve seen a humpback whale, you are unlikely to confuse it with anything else.

Size and shape of blow: As always, keep in mind that the appearance of a whale’s blow is highly variable among individuals and is affected by the wind. For the humpback, the blow is usually described as “bushy,” reaching heights of about 10 feet or so. As we discussed in prior blogs, the blue whale often has a taller blow, the gray whale’s blow can appear heart-shaped of V-shaped, and the sperm whale’s blow is at a 45-degree angle (i.e., not straight up).

Size of animal: Humpback whales reach about 50 feet (16m) in length. Among the other baleen whale species in Baja, blue and fin whales can get larger, gray and Bryde’s whales are about the same size, and minke whales are smaller.

Color: Humpback whales are mostly black in color, with areas of white on the flippers and abdomen. The underside of the tail flukes ranges from all black to all white (more on that later). The black body color is in contrast to the mottled blue of blue whales, the blotchy gray of gray whales, and the slate gray of fin whales.

Dorsal fin: Humpback whales have a dorsal fin, but its appearance is different from other whales. Humpbacks have a step-like base that forms the foundation of the upper more-typically-shaped portion of the dorsal fin. This overall shape may be the origin of the name “humpback.” Humpback whales arch their entire back quite dramatically when diving, and that behavior may also contribute to the name “humpback.” There is individual variation in the shape of the dorsal fin in humpback whales.

Tail flukes: Humpback whales often show their tail flukes when diving. As mentioned earlier, the color pattern on the underside of the flukes is highly variable and individual-specific. The behavior of showing the flukes, coupled with the flukes’ high variability, makes fluke patterns a perfect characteristic to use for individual identification. Since the early 1970s, marine mammalogists have photographed the flukes of humpback whales and compiled catalogs of thousands of individual whales. By photographing and identifying individuals, many behavioral and ecological questions can be answered. I’ve been photographing the flukes of humpbacks during 10-years’ worth of Searcher Natural History Tours to Baja and have over 250 individual whales in my catalog. We’ll talk more about that in a subsequent blog. One last feature about the tail flukes: the trailing edge of the flukes often has a serrated appearance, in contrast to the more-smooth trailing edge in most other species.

Species-specific traits: Humpback whales have several anatomical features that distinguish them from other whale species. We’ve already discussed the uniquely-shaped dorsal fin. Another unique character is the extremely long pectoral flippers. The flippers of humpbacks are one-third the body length, much longer than what we see with any other cetacean species. Thus, a 45-foot humpback would have 15-foot flippers! Yet another distinctive feature of humpbacks is the presence of a series of bumps on the head. These bumps, sometimes called “tubercles,” are over-sized hair follicles and in fact do contain a tiny hair in the middle. The function of these hairs is still speculative, but may be sensory. Regardless, the presence of these tubercles on the head of a whale is diagnostic for the humpback. All of the other whale species we see have a smoother head and lack large tubercles.

Behavior: As mentioned, humpback whales exhibit a variety of high-energy out-of-water behaviors that are spectacular to witness. A “breach” is when the whale jumps out of the water. Sometimes the whale will breach just once, while other times a whale may breach repeatedly. Single breachers are hard to photograph as you never know where and when they will breach. With repeat breachers, you can sometimes anticipate the next breach.

Although a few other species of cetaceans have been seen to smack their pectoral flippers on the water, this behavior is best exemplified with humpbacks, given the humpback’s giant pectoral flippers and the particular enthusiasm with which they perform this behavior. Referred to as both “pec-slapping” and “flipper flapping,” this behavior can be seen (and heard!) from quite a distance.

The “lob-tail” is yet another high-energy behavior best seen in humpbacks. The whale is oriented vertically in the water, with the tail and caudal peduncle (the base of the tail) raised high out of the water. The tail is then smacked aggressively against the water, created a big splash and a loud sound. As with the breach and pec-slap, this behavior most likely has some communication value. We don’t have space today to discuss exactly what is being communicated, except to say this: for me, the first step when analyzing behavior is to determine the CONTEXT. Who is displaying the behavior? (calf? adult male? etc.) Where are they? (breeding grounds?) Who else is around? (other males? receptive females? etc.).

Another behavior worth mentioning is one that you won’t see but will hear. Humpbacks are famous for their songs, usually produced by males on their breeding grounds. Aboard Searcher we have a hydrophone that we sometimes turn on while we’re drifting at the Gorda Banks. If the whales are singing and they’re close enough we can pick up their songs, which Captain Art then broadcasts on the Searcher’s speaker system.

Superlatives always come to mind while watching cetaceans of any species. If there were a cetacean awards show, the humpback whale would get my vote for “Easiest to Identify” and “Most Entertaining.”

"The color of gray whales can best be described as blotchy gray and is very distinctive compared to other whales, thus serving as a useful species-identification character." R. Nawojchik "In the Baja region, the gray whale is the species most likely to produce a heart-shaped blow." R. Nawojchik "If you are lucky enough to be at one of the gray whale lagoons between January and April, then the large whales you are seeing are gray whales." R. Nawojchik "There is a slight dorsal hump where the fin would normally be, followed by a series of bumps along the dorsal ridge between the dorsal hump and the tail." R. Nawojchik R. Nawojchik "Another very useful identification feature is the encrustation of ectoparasites, in particular barnacles and “whale lice”, on the skin of gray whales." "We also see lots of calves at San Ignacio Lagoon. Gray whales are about 15 feet (4.5m) at birth, but grow rapidly while nursing in the lagoon." R. Nawojchik "Gray whale calf showing off its baleen!" R. Nawojchik "We sometimes see “rake marks” on the tail flukes, pectoral flippers, or elsewhere on the body. These patterns are scars left by the teeth of killer whales, a testament to failed attacks." R. Nawojchik "Breaching is when a whale jumps from the water, either partly or entirely, and then re-enters with a huge splash. A breach might be the most dramatic behavior in a whale’s repertoire." R. Nawojchik R. Nawojchik

by Rob Nawojchik

The gray whale is perhaps the species of whale that inspires the most people to take our 12-day Natural History Tour to Baja California, Mexico. There are many fascinating aspects of the gray whale’s story, from biology and behavior to the history of human exploitation. Gray whales are the most coastal of all the large whales and can often be seen from shore during their annual migration between Alaska and Baja. Hunted to near-extinction, the eastern North Pacific gray whale population has recovered to healthy numbers, the epitome of a conservation success story. During their winter/spring reproductive season, gray whales congregate in shallow-water lagoons along the west coast of Baja California. Because of the high concentration of gray whales in the relatively confined areas of the lagoons, the whale-watching opportunities are unparalleled. Perhaps the most astonishing thing is the gray whales’ penchant for “friendly” behavior, in which they approach and get very close to exuberant whale watchers (who are floating in the lagoon in small skiffs or “pangas”), sometimes initiating physical contact with the astounded eco-tourists.

Much can be (and has been) written about the ecology and behavior of the gray whale. Today’s focus, however, is on identification (ID). If you are lucky enough to be at one of the gray whale lagoons between January and April, then the large whales you are seeing are gray whales. The other large whale species of the region do not enter the lagoons. (Note: San Ignacio Lagoon, the lagoon the Searcher visits each year, is alive with all sorts of marine life: bottlenose dolphins, a few California sea lions, sea turtles, and lots of seabirds, but no whales other than gray whales.) In addition to the lagoons, we see gray whales in the ocean along the Pacific coast of the Baja peninsula (and every once in a while in the Gulf of California / Sea of Cortez). The following ID characters will help you identify gray whales, whether it’s from a distance in their oceanic migratory corridor, or up close and personal from inches away in the lagoon. One last side-note before we begin: in past blogs I warned how whale sightings are often from miles away and how difficult it is to get a good view of the animal. You will NOT have that problem in the lagoon! Your biggest problem in the lagoon will be keeping your glasses and camera lens clean after repeatedly getting drenched by the whales spouting next to the panga.

Size and shape of spout/blow: Like most of the large whales in the Baja region, the gray whale produces a visible blow that can be seen from quite a distance under good conditions. However, the height of the blow is perhaps only a third to a half of the height of a blue whale blow (which makes sense; the height of the blow is partly a function of the size of the animal). In terms of shape, the gray whale blow might be described as “bushy” when viewed from the side, but can appear to be heart-shaped or V-shaped when viewed from in front of or behind the animal. In the Baja region, the gray whale is the species most likely to produce a heart-shaped blow. From a distance, the bushy blows of gray and humpback whales can appear similar, especially under windy conditions or if your view of the blow is at the wrong angle. As always, when identifying whales at sea, multiple clues are usually needed before a confident ID can be made.

Size of animal: I like to organize the six species of baleen whales commonly seen in Baja into three size categories: big (blue and fin whales), medium (humpback, Bryde’s, and gray whales), and small (minke whale). Most of the adult gray whales we see are probably between 36 and 50 feet (11-15m) in length (roughly similar to the humpback and Bryde’s). Of course, we also see lots of calves at San Ignacio Lagoon. Gray whales are about 15 feet (4.5m) at birth, but grow rapidly while nursing in the lagoon.

Color: The color of gray whales can best be described as blotchy gray and is very distinctive compared to other whales, thus serving as a useful species-identification character. The color pattern is highly variable between gray whales, providing a feature useful for photo-ID catalogs of individuals. Photo-ID is a very important tool used by marine mammalogists to answer all sorts of ecological and behavioral questions.

Dorsal fin: The gray whale does not have a dorsal fin, which will distinguish it from all the other baleen whale species in the region. Instead, there is a slight dorsal hump where the fin would normally be, followed by a series of bumps (often referred to as “knuckles”) along the dorsal ridge between the dorsal hump and the tail.

Tail flukes: The gray whale is among those species that sometimes show their flukes when diving. As with the body, the color of the flukes on both surfaces (dorsal and ventral) is blotchy gray. The trailing edge is generally smooth. We sometimes see “rake marks” on the tail flukes, pectoral flippers, or elsewhere on the body. These patterns are scars left by the teeth of killer whales, a testament to failed attacks.

Species-specific traits: Already-mentioned diagnostic characters include the lack of a dorsal fin and the particular color pattern of gray whales. Another very useful identification feature is the encrustation of ectoparasites, in particular barnacles and “whale lice”, on the skin of gray whales. Most, if not all, species of whales have external parasites of various types. In the case of gray whales, the parasites are quite obvious and can cover a significant portion of the skin, especially around the head. The species of barnacle found on gray whales is host-specific; in other words, it is found only on gray whales. The “lice” are really a type of crustacean called a cyamid; four species of cyamids can be found on gray whales. Gray whale calves are born without any ectoparasites, but soon start acquiring them even while nursing in the lagoons. During our visits to San Ignacio Lagoon, we can get a rough idea of the age of a calf by the number of barnacles and cyamids encrusting the skin. (Note: although I’ve referred to cyamids as parasites, they may be harmless to the whale or even beneficial in some ways.)

Behavior: I’ve already mentioned the fluking behavior of gray whales (other flukers include the blue, humpback, and sperm whales). I’ve also remarked on the gray whales’ use of lagoons for breeding and calving. Among large species of whales, this use of lagoons is unique to gray whales. Two additional behaviors of gray whales worth noting, both commonly seen in the lagoons, are spyhopping and breaching. Spyhopping is when a whale lifts its head out of the water, ostensibly to take a look around. Although humpback whales are known to spyhop, we do not normally see spyhopping behavior with humpbacks in the Baja region. Breaching is when a whale jumps from the water, either partly or entirely, and then re-enters with a huge splash. A breach might be the most dramatic behavior in a whale’s repertoire. Many species of whales have been known to breach, but in the Baja region the two species that breach most often are the gray whale and humpback whale.