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Humpback whale
Start with the flippers. They are unusually long, and their pale areas can show through the water when the whale rolls. If you only see the head, look for rows of knobs. A humpback can also show broad tail flukes before a dive, with an uneven rear edge and a black-and-white underside that varies by individual.
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Fin whale
A tall blow over a long, smooth back could belong to more than one large whale. Look for a swept-back dorsal fin and, if the head comes into view, a pale lower jaw on the right side and a dark one on the left. That asymmetry is a better clue than the height of the blow by itself.
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Blue whale
The back may keep coming into view for a surprisingly long time before a very small dorsal fin appears. Bluish-gray mottling and the fin's position far back are more useful together than an estimate of the whale's length. Like a fin whale, it can produce a tall, column-shaped blow.
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Sei whale
Pay attention to timing at the surface. A sei whale's dorsal fin often appears at about the same time as its blowhole. The fin stands out on a streamlined, dark body. That simultaneous appearance is a useful clue when a distant whale looks like a fin whale and you cannot see its jaw.
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Common minke whale
The head comes to a narrow point, and the short surfacing can give you only a little time to see it. In Northern Hemisphere animals, a white band across each flipper is a strong clue when the water is clear enough to see it. A curved dorsal fin by itself leaves plenty of room for confusion.
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Gray whale
There is no proper dorsal fin. Look instead for a low hump and a line of small knuckles leading toward the tail. The uneven gray surface often carries pale patches and clusters of barnacles. The combination is more useful than either the gray color or the shape of the blow on its own.
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North Atlantic right whale
A stocky whale with no dorsal fin belongs on your short list. Look next for pale patches of raised skin, called callosities, on the head. When the two jets from its blowholes remain distinct, they make a V. Use those marks together because a brisk wind can distort a blow.
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Sperm whale
The blunt, blocky head is a strong hint. Watch where the blow comes from: the single blowhole sits well left of center near the front of the head, and the blow tends to point forward and left. The wrinkled skin behind the head and low dorsal hump give you two more clues at the surface.
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Bowhead whale
A high, arched jaw and a pale patch under the chin help identify this dark Arctic whale. Like a right whale, it has no dorsal fin. The pale chin and huge curved outline of the head are a better combination than the smooth back alone.
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Beluga whale
Look for a rounded forehead and a low ridge along the back where you might expect a dorsal fin. Adults are white, but young animals are usually gray. Color can therefore be useful in a group that includes adults and misleading if you only see a younger individual.
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Orca
The pale oval sits above and behind the eye, and a gray or white saddle patch can sit behind the dorsal fin. Adult males often show a particularly tall, upright fin. Other orcas have shorter, more curved fins, making the combination of marks more reliable than a single silhouette.
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Narwhal
A long tusk is unmistakable when it breaks the surface, but it is most common in adult males. In Arctic waters, look for a mottled back without a dorsal fin. Very old narwhals can look nearly white, so when color leaves you in doubt, check whether you can see a beluga’s rounded forehead.
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