Seashore: Humpback Whale

Humpback whales live in oceans around the world. They are one of the largest types of whales. Humpback whales can be 12 to 16 m (39 to 52 feet) in length. They are black, with different amounts of white on their abdomen. Humpbacks also have very long, narrow pectoral fins which are scalloped on the forward edge. They also have large knobs on their heads and jaws. Humpback whales eat shrimplike crustaceans, small fish, and plankton. They strain their food out of the water through baleen. Baleen is a special filter system in the whale's mouth. The humpback is especially known for its songs. Humpbacks communicate with each other underwater by making sounds under water. Female whales, or cows, give birth approximately every other year. The whale in this picture is breaching. Breaching describes how whales jump out of the water. Sometimes whales even somersault; they leap from the water belly up, arch backwards, and dive headfirst back into the water. When they hit the water, they make a loud slapping sound.

credit: Robin Hunter, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service