(40-65 feet [12-20 m] maximum overall length)

Without a Dorsal Fin

There are three species of large whales without a dorsal fin in the western North Atlantic Ocean. Two of these, the bowhead or Greenland whale, and its more widely distributed close relative the right whale, are baleen whales. The third, the sperm whale, is a toothed whale. The first two have relatively smooth backs without even a trace of a dorsal fin. The sperm whale has a humplike low, thick, dorsal ridge, which, from certain views, particularly when the animal is humping up to begin a dive, may be clearly visible and look like a fin. But because the profile of that hump and the knuckles which follow it are often not very prominent in this species, it has been classified with the finless big whales.

All three species are characterized by very distinctive blows or spouts. In both the bowhead and the right whales, the projection of the blow upward from two widely separated blowholes assumes a very wide V-shape with two distinct columns, which may be seen when the animals are viewed from front or back. Though this character may be visible under ideal conditions in many of the other baleen whales species as well, it is exaggerated and uniformly distinct in the bowhead and right whales and may be used as one of the primary key characters. In the sperm whale, the blow emanates from a blowhole which is displaced to the left of the head near the front and projects obliquely forward to the animal's left. This blow seen under ideal conditions positively labels a large whale as a sperm whale.

Remember, however, that wind conditions may affect the disposition and duration of the blow of any species and that a single character alone is seldom sufficient to permit positive identification.

Bowhead whale
Balaena mysticetus
p. [49]

Body to 65 feet (19.8 m) long.[8]
Body dark; back smooth.
Chin and belly often white.
Head lacks callosities.
Baleen dark gray with gray fringes; to 12 feet (3.7 m) or more.
Upper jaw and lower lip strongly arched.
Two blowholes clearly separated.
Blow projects upward in wide V-shape.
Distribution restricted to Arctic waters south to Davis Straits.
Flukes raised on longer dives.

[8] These figures are near maximum sizes recorded for the North Atlantic. All three species have been heavily exploited by whale fisheries. Therefore maximum sizes today may be significantly less than these figures (see text).

It should also be noted that differences in methods of measurements often account for discrepancies in reported lengths.

Right whale
Eubalaena glacialis
p. [52]

Body to 53 feet (16.2 m) long.
Body from dark to light gray and mottled; back smooth; chin and belly usually white.
Head and lower jaw covered with callosities (the largest of which is called the bonnet and is set on top of the snout).
Baleen usually dark gray with dark fringes; to 7.2 feet (2.2 m). When animals swim, mouth agape, near surface; baleen sometimes appears pale brownish to yellowish gray in color.
Upper jaw and lower lip strongly arched.
Two blowholes clearly separated.
Blow projects upward in wide V-shape.
Distribution extends from Iceland south at least to Florida and reported from Texas.
Flukes raised on longer dives.

Sperm whale
Physeter catodon
p. [57]

Body to 69 feet (20.9 m) long; males grow significantly larger than females.
Body dark grayish brown to brown; wrinkled in appearance.
Back has rounded hump followed by knuckles.
Head boxlike, comprises up to 40% of body length.
From 18 to 25 functional teeth in each side of narrow lower jaw.
Single blowhole on left of head at front.
Blow projects forward obliquely from head and to left.
Distribution extends from tropics to Arctic; adult males distributed farther north.
Flukes raised on longer dives.

MEDIUM-SIZED WHALES
(13-32 feet [4-10 m] maximum overall length)

With a Dorsal Fin

There are 11 species of medium-sized whales with a dorsal fin known from the western North Atlantic. These species, taking many diverse forms, range in maximum adult size from about 13 feet (4.0 m) (grampus) to about 33 feet (10.1 m) (the minke whale). This group includes such widely distributed and frequently encountered species as the pilot whales, false killer whales, and minke whales, and such rarely encountered and poorly known species as the various "beaked whales" (Mesoplodon spp. and the goosebeaked whale).

Aside from their common inclusion within the stated size range and the presence of a dorsal fin in all species (which ranges from only a small nubbin in some of the beaked whales to a substantial 5- to 6-foot [1.5- to 1.8-m] sail on adult male killer whales), these species have no diagnostic field characteristics in common. Therefore, each is discussed in detail and is placed in the text in near proximity to those species with which it is likely to be confused in the field.

Minke whale
Balaenoptera acutorostrata
p. [63]

Body to 30 feet (9.1 m), or more, long.
Body black or dark gray; area of gray shading on each side just in front of and below dorsal fin.
Flippers have transverse white band.
Head very sharply V-shaped viewed from above.
Dorsal fin falcate and distinct; usually appears simultaneous with blow.
Blow often low and indistinct.
Distribution polar, temperate, and tropical; frequently coastal.
Often curious about boats.
Flukes not raised on dive.

Northern bottlenosed whale
Hyperoodon ampullatus
p. [67]

Body to 32 feet (9.8 m) long.
Body of young uniformly chocolate brown; body of adults brown with cream or yellow blotches.
Head bulbous in adults and white in larger animals; has distinct beak.
Dorsal fin falcate and distinct, in last one-third of back.
Distribution north temperate and Arctic-offshore.
Often curious about boats.
Flukes large, rarely notched; occasionally raised on long dive.

Goosebeaked whale
Ziphius cavirostris
p. [70]

Body to at least 23 feet (7 m) long.
Body from dark gray or brown to rust or fawn and splotched with white; eyes dark.
Head of large males white.
Back frequently scarred with numerous scratches, presumably tooth marks.
Dorsal fin falcate and distinct, in last one-third of back.
Distribution primarily tropical; extends to temperate.
Flukes light beneath, sometimes shallowly notched; often raised on dive.

All other western North Atlantic beaked whales
Mesoplodon spp.
p. [74]

Body to 16-22 feet (4.9-6.7 m) long.
Body color black to dark gray.
Back frequently scarred.
Dorsal fin position varies with species.
Distribution varies with species.
Flukes not usually distinctly notched.

Killer whale
Orcinus orca
p. [84]

Body to at least 30 feet (9.1 m) long.
Body black with sharply demarcated white belly and oval white patch above and behind eye; gray saddle behind dorsal fin.
Body chunky.
Dorsal fin in males can be very tall, sometimes 6 feet (1.8 m).
Dorsal fin in females and immature animals up to 3 feet (0.9 m), distinctly falcate.
Distributed from tropics to Arctic; most common in colder waters.
Often seen in shallow bays and rivers and near shore.
Flukes may be raised on dive.

False killer whale
Pseudorca crassidens
p. [88]

Body to at least 18 feet (5.5 m) long.
Body black (faint gray blaze on belly between flippers).
Body slender.
Head small, tapering.
Large prominent teeth frequently visible at sea.
Flippers have distinct hump on leading edge.
Dorsal fin to 14 inches (35.6 cm), falcate, and from rounded to pointed on tip.
Distribution pelagic tropical to warm temperate seas.
Frequently ride bow waves.

Atlantic pilot whale
Globicephala melaena
p. [91]

Body to at least 22 feet (6.7 m) long.
Body black with light gray, anchor-shaped area on chest; gray saddle sometimes seen behind dorsal fin.
Head becoming more bulbous with age, somewhat squarish in adult males viewed from above.
Tail humped.
Flippers long (to one-fifth of body length), sickle-shaped.
Dorsal fin broad-based, falcate to flaglike, in front half of back.
Distribution primarily north temperate—about Hatteras north.
Flukes not usually raised on dive.

Short-finned pilot whale
Globicephala macrorhynchus
p. [94]

Body to at least 17.5 feet (5.3 m) long.
Body black with indistinct light gray area on chest; saddle behind dorsal fin.
Head becoming more bulbous with age; square in large adult males viewed from above.
Flippers relatively short (to less than one-sixth of body length).
Dorsal fin broad-based, falcate to flaglike, in front half of back.
Distribution tropical and warm temperate; from about Hatteras south.
Flukes not usually raised on dive.

Grampus
Grampus griseus
p. [96]

Body to at least 13 feet (4.0 m) long.
Body of newborn light gray; darkens with age.
Body of adults light gray or white; scarred with numerous scratches.
Head blunted, not beaked.
Forehead has vertical crease in center.
Dorsal fin less than 15 inches (38.1 cm), rather erect and distinct, and dark even in light adults.
Distribution tropical to temperate.
Rarely ride bow wave.