Whale Behavior.
Have you ever wondered how humpback whales behave in the wild? If so, you’re in the right place! Humpback whales can be found throughout the waters off the coast of Alaska, so Alaskans (and visitors) get a front-row seat to their playful antics. Here are just a few of the behaviors that are common in Alaska’s humpback population.
Breaching
If you’ve ever seen a humpback whale (or any whale, for that matter) breach, consider yourself lucky! Breaching is when humpback whales launch themselves out of the water, using their tails to build momentum and effectively “jumping” out of the water. It’s a beautiful, spectacular display that seems to serve a very simple purpose: playtime!
Tail Lobbing
Humpback whales, like many other types of marine mammals with tails, will lob or slap their tails on the water. Scientists are unclear about exactly why this happens, but a few common theories are that it’s how whales communicate with each other or it’s just a playful way to get out extra energy. These tail slaps are often so loud that they can be heard for miles.
Blowing/Spouting
Humpback whales break the surface of the water roughly every 10–15 minutes to come up for air. While humpback whales are capable of holding their breath underwater for as long as 45 minutes, most will blow or spout much more frequently. From the surface, these spouts are often the first sign that a whale is in the area.
Bubble-net Feeding
Humpback whales often use a feeding mechanism called “bubble net feeding” to catch fish. In small groups, the humpback whales will congregate beneath their prey (often a school of fish) and send air bubbles up to the surface. The air bubbles disturb the fish, who all come together to investigate. When all the fish have joined in one central location, the humpback whales will thrust themselves up into the fish with their mouths open, capturing as many fish at once as possible. Believe it or not, it’s possible to witness this incredible display in person if you’re in the right place at the right time!
Diving.
Before humpback whales go underwater for longer periods of time, they’ll come up to the surface for air and use their tail to propel for a deeper dive. From the surface, it looks like the whale’s fluke is completely vertical as they force themselves downward. After a dive, humpback whales may be underwater for up to 45 minutes before coming back up for more air. Just before the tail becomes visible, humpback whales will display their namesake “humps” as they arch their backs out of the water.
Spy Hop
Last but not least, humpback whales display a behavior called “spy hopping,” in which they rise above the surface of the water vertically and stick their heads above the surface. Once their eyes are above the waterline, they’ll typically spin around to check the surrounding area. Again, scientists aren’t quite clear on exactly why this happens, but it seems to give the whales an idea of what’s happening on the surface.
There you have it—six behaviors that humpback whales display on a regular basis. If you’d like to see these behaviors in action, sign up for a whale watching expedition in Juneau, where you’ll also likely see orcas and other types of marine life off the Alaskan coast.