Balaenopteridae - Blue Whale, Fin Whale, Humpback Whale, Minke Whale

There are eight species of baleen whales in this family. This family is also known as the rorqual whales. Rorqual is a Norwegian word for furrow. The whales in this family have furrows in their skin that run from their lower mouth to their stomach.

They vary in size from the 25-30 foot long minke whale to the 65-90 foot blue whale. They filter feed on krill and other small crustaceans and ocean creatures. Most of the species in this family live in open ocean waters. In the winter, they breed in temperate ocean waters.

In the summer, they migrate to cold polar waters that are rich in krill and plankton. Species in this family include: the minke whale, the sei whale, the blue whale, the fin whale, the humpback whale, and Bryde's whale.

World Status Key
Least Concern Near Threatened Vulnerable Endangered Critically Endangered Extinct in Wild Extinct Not Enough Data
Status and range is taken from ICUN Redlist.

U.S. Status Key Threatened in US Endangered in US Introduced Status taken from US Fish and Wildlife. Click on U.S. status icon to go to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife species profile.

New Hampshire Status Key Threatened in NH Endangered in NH Breeds in NH (birds) Status taken from NH Fish and Game

Location Key
Africa Asia Australia/Oceania Europe North America South America NH Click for More Info Click for Image
Arctic Ocean Atlantic Ocean Indian Ocean Pacific Ocean Southern Ocean

New Hampshire Species		North/Central American Species
Humpback Whale - Megaptera novaeangliae Common Minke Whale - Balaenoptera acutorostrata		Blue Whale - Balaenoptera musculus Bryde's Whale  - Balaenoptera edeni Fin Whale - Balaenoptera physalus Sei Whale  - Balaenoptera borealis

Other Species Around the World
Antarctic Minke Whale - Balaenoptera bonaerensis Omura’s Whale -  Balaenoptera omurai

Additional Information

Resource Key
Profile Photos Video Audio Interactive

Humpback Whale Migration Game
Learn more about humpback whales and how they migrate.
Source: Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Elementary School

Antarctic Minke Whale - Balaenoptera bonaerensis
At 24-34 feet in length, the Antarctic minke whale is one of the smallest baleen whales.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School

Antarctic Minke Whale - Balaenoptera bonaerensis
The Antarctic minke whale is found in polar to tropical waters of the southern hemisphere.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School

Blue Whale - Balaenoptera musculus
The blue whale is found in the open ocean, usually along the continental shelf edge and near polar ice.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School

Blue Whale - Balaenoptera musculus
Blue whales are found in all oceans of the world, and they are the largest animals to ever live on Earth.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School

Blue Whale - Balaenoptera musculus
There are three subspecies of blue whale- Northern Hemisphere blue whale, the Northern Hemisphere blue whale, the Antarctic blue whale, and the pygmy blue whale.
Source: NOAA Fisheries Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Middle School

Blue Whale - Balaenoptera musculus
A blue whale's tongue can weigh as much as an elephant.
Source: National Geographic Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School

Blue Whale - Balaenoptera musculus
Blue whales are the loudest animals on Earth! Their call reaches levels up to 188 decibels.
Source: Enchanted Learning Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Elementary School

Bryde's Whale  - Balaenoptera edeni
The Bryde’s whale is found in tropical and sub-tropical waters throughout the Atlantic, Pacific. and Indian Oceans.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School

Bryde's Whale  - Balaenoptera edeni
Bryde's whales are dark gray with a yellowish white underside.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School

Bryde's Whale  - Balaenoptera edeni
Bryde's whales are named for Johan Bryde, a Norwegian man who built the first whaling stations in South Africa.
Source: NOAA Fisheries Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Middle School

Common Minke Whale- Balaenoptera acutorostrata
The minke whale has a a pointed 'dolphin-like' head and a double blowhole.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School

Common Minke Whale- Balaenoptera acutorostrata
In Antarctic waters, minke whales make up most of a killer whale's diet (up to 85%).
Source: NOAA Fisheries Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Middle School

Common Minke Whale- Balaenoptera acutorostrata
Minke whales travel either alone or in small groups of 2-4 individuals.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School

Fin Whale - Balaenoptera physalus
Occasionally fin whales form groups of nearly 250 individuals near feeding grounds or during migration periods.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School

Fin Whale - Balaenoptera physalus
Fin whales sometimes mate with blue whales and hybrids have been documented.
Source: NOAA Fisheries Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Middle School

Humpback Whale - Megaptera novaeangliae
Humpback whales are highly migratory and are found in all oceans. Male humpback whales sing complex songs that can last up to 20 minutes and be heard 20 miles away!
Source: NOAA Fisheries Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Middle School

Humpback Whale - Megaptera novaeangliae
Hawaii is the only state in the United States where humpback whales mate, calve, and nurse their young.
Source: Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Middle School

Omura’s Whale -  Balaenoptera omurai
Omura's whale has only been identified since 2003. It was previously thought to be a pygmy form of Bryde’s whale.
Source: ICUN Redlist Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School

Sei Whale - Balaenoptera borealis
The sei whale tends to avoid coastal waters.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School

Sei Whale - Balaenoptera borealis
An average sei whale eats about 2,000 pounds of food per day.
Source: NOAA Fisheries Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Middle School