Megaptera novaeangliae (Humpback Whale)
Humpback whales are occasionally encountered in the Hebrides travelling between their breeding grounds off Africa and feeding grounds around Iceland and Norway. There are one or two sightings in the Hebrides most years.
Additional Information
Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust
Cetacean Research & Rescue Unit
Convention on Migratory Species, Appendix 1
EC CITES Annex A
Bern Convention Appendix 2
EU Habitats Directive Annex 4
Scottish Biodiversity List of species of principal importance for biodiversity conservation
The humpback whale is a baleen whale, recognised as such by the plates of baleen (rather than teeth) suspended from the upper jaw and the two blowholes on the upper body. It is a member of the rorqual family with the characteristic ventral pleats of skin under the eye and the relatively flat and broad jaw. At close range, it is one of the easiest whales to identify. It has extremely long distinctive flippers with a white colouration and knobs on the leading edge. The dorsal fin is low and usually sits on a hump. The head has a single ridge and is covered with numerous bumps. It is a grey-black colour dorsally and laterally, and is white underneath.
Identifying features
Up to 16 m in length.
Uniform grey-black dorsal and lateral colouration; white underneath.
Large, white flippers up to one-third of body length with knobs on leading edge.
Broad tail flukes white white patches underneath.
Small dorsal fin two-thirds down the body, usually atop a hump.
Top of head is covered with knobs.
Less than 35 ventral pleats ending past the navel.