The waters surrounding the United Kingdom are home to a diverse array of marine life, but many people are unaware that this includes whales – let alone how common some of them are, say the experts at Whale and Dolphin Conservation.
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What is the most common whale in UK waters?
While it is possible to see the large whales such as fin, blue and sperm whales further out to sea, humpback whales are also sometimes sighted. But the most commonly seen whale in UK waters is the minke whale – the smallest of the baleen whales.
A minke whale can grow up to 8-10m in length and weigh between 5-10 tonnes. Despite their relatively modest size compared to other whale species, they are powerful swimmers and are often seen alone or in small groups.
Minke whales are typically found in Scottish coastal waters, particularly around the Hebrides, Orkney, and Shetland Islands, although they are known to frequent much of the UK’s west coast. They prefer cooler seas and are more likely to be seen between May and October, when they migrate closer to shore to feed on small fish such as herring, sandeels, and mackerel, along with krill and other small invertebrates. Like all baleen whales, they have baleen plates which filter prey from seawater, rather than teeth.
One of the reasons minke whales might be seen more than others is their surface behaviours, which include spyhopping, breaching and lunging out of the water when feeding. Their curved, dark grey dorsal fin and smooth surfacing motion make them relatively easy to identify for whale watchers.
Despite being classified as of “Least Concern” by the IUCN, minke whales still face several threats, including hunting.
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Are any other whales commonly seen in UK?
Humpback whales appear to be coming a more regular sight in UK seas especially around Scotland’s west coast, the Hebrides, and the Shetland and Orkney Islands. Historically rare due to their depletion by commercial whaling (including off the British Isles), their numbers seem to have been recovering in recent decades, thanks to protection and conservation efforts.
These whales are migratory, passing through UK waters during their huge annual journeys between northern (Arctic and subarctic) feeding grounds and southern (tropical) breeding areas.
Humpbacks are identifiable by their long pectoral fins, knobbly heads, and spectacular breaching behaviour. They can grow up to 16 meters long and weigh around 30 tonnes. In UK waters, they feed primarily on small schooling fish, like herring and sand eels, using bubble-net feeding – a sophisticated technique involving bubbles to confuse and trap prey.
Sightings are becoming more common in spring and summer, though they may appear at other times too.
You can log sightings of whales by joining citizen science projects such as Whale and Dolphin Conservation's Shorewatch programme.
