A humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) is a large baleen whale with long flippers and a knobbly head. They can be found in every ocean.
They can grow to 15–16 m (49–52 ft) long and weigh up to 40 metric tons.
Life history[]
Humpback whales can live up to 45 years. They migrate between the places they feed in the winter and the places they give birth in the summer. They usually live alone.
Feeding[]
Humpback whales eat krill and small fish, for example herring, capelin, and sand lance. They scoop up their food in their large mouths. Sometimes they round up their prey by swimming in tight circles and blowing curtains of bubbles around them. They often hunt in small groups, called pods.
Whale song[]
The male whale is known to sing for up to 22 hours at a time. Because whales do not have vocal chords, they make songs by forcing air through their nasal passages. Every male has a different song. We don't yet know why they sing, it might be to call a female or scare away other males. The songs are made up of a pattern of low notes repeated over a period of hours or days. The whales slowly change their songs over a period of years.
Other sounds[]
Both the male and female humpback whales make other sounds, such as moans and grunts, to communicate with each other.
Gallery[]
