Whale species you can see in the Azores

One of the biggest surprises of the Azores isn’t the number of whales you’ll see, but the variety of species that swing by its shores. This is the Atlantic “Gulp Stream”, where up to 30 species of whales and dolphins travel, rounding up krill, squid and schools of fish. Some, like blue whales, are visitors on their way to their summer feeding grounds, while others, such as sperm whales, stick around all year long.

And it’s not always the obvious species that inspire the most excitement. You’ll be amazed by fin whales, which aren’t far off a blue whale in size, and fascinated by the stories of resident sperm whales told by marine biologists who know their individual quirks. More unusual whale species blow through the Azores too – tropical visitors like Bryde’s whales and big gatherings of pilot whales.

It takes a moment for Amanda Stafford to choose one of her most memorable encounters with whales in the Azores. She founded our whale watching partner, The Dolphin and Whale Connection, and has two decades’ worth of whale watching tours to flick back through.

“It was morning and the sea was very, very calm,” decides Amanda. “The group I was with had had amazing experiences all week... The quality of the water felt special; it felt like a real Sunday. There was this sense that church bells had been ringing and everyone was resting today.

“Lo and behold, there in the water, lolling on the surface, was a huge group of northern bottlenose whales. They look slightly prehistoric, with great big heads, and they had been gorging on squid. They were totally satiated, lolling around, farting – it was unbelievable watching these things. They’d obviously been having a major feed. And they’re transitory whales; they don’t live in the Azores… They’re extraordinary. They’re nothing like anything else in the ocean. Everybody in the boat was in complete amazement.”

So although you might have a certain whale that you’re eager to see – and some tours even focus on seeing one species, such as blue whales – chances are that you’ll end up being surprised by something completely unexpected. Our whale watching holidays are steered by conservationists and boat captains who’ll give you the best chance of accessing the mysterious world of whales, translating what you’re seeing and ensuring that you’re observing instead of disturbing.

Keep reading to discover which whale species you can see in the Azores…

Status: endangered
When to see blue whales in the Azores: April to June

Blue whales are among the most popular whales in the Azores. “I think it’s that sense that it’s an ultimate,” says Amanda. “There’s this incredible uprising of very childlike joy when you see one.”

After all, blue whales are the largest animals ever to have existed on our planet. They’re typically 20-25m long but can grow up to 34m – about the length of a jet plane wing. Weight-wise, think piling 30 elephants on top of each other.

Blue whales are the first migratory whale to appear in the Azores after winter, so go early in the season to catch them while they’re hoovering up krill before heading off to summer further north.

“One of the things that first struck me when I saw one of my first blue whales was the skin colour,” says Amanda. “I looked at João, the skipper, and I said, ‘It is actually blue, isn’t it?!’ Often, you think they’re black or dark grey, but the way the light was shining through the water, there’s a kind of shimmery turquoise blue in the skin.”

“The water is a very important part of it,” Amanda adds. “When you see them in that environment, the way the light shimmers through, the waves, the way the water moves and swells… that sort of environment is very meditative.”

Read our guide to blue whale watching in the Azores to find out more.

Status: threatened
When to see humpback whales in the Azores: May to June

Humpback whales love to leap above the ocean and sing melodious tunes below, making them one of the most easily identifiable – and most beloved – whales in the ocean. They’ve also got a unique look, with a bumpy head, unusually large fins up to 5m tall, and tails that they like to slap on the water like a thunderclap.

The markings and scars on the tail flukes of humpbacks are so distinctive that biologists can often identify individuals, especially as they appear so occasionally compared with other whale species in the Azores. Humpback whales are among the species worst hit by commercial whaling, with around 95 percent of the population killed worldwide.

There’s another reason to go whale watching with seasoned biologists and captains – humpbacks are one of the whales most susceptible to stress caused by boats getting too close for comfort. Our responsible whale watching trips will make sure things never get to that point, and that you enjoy your encounter from a respectful distance.

Humpback whales have one of the longest migrations of all animals, sometimes swinging by the Azores for a snack on their way from their breeding grounds in Cape Verde to their feeding grounds in Norway. Krill and crustaceans are their favourite foods. They sometimes use a unique group hunting method called bubble net feeding, where a group of whales use bubbles to herd fish into a small space so they can gulp them down in one fell swoop of their huge mouths.

Sowerby’s, True’s, Gervais’ and Cuvier’s beaked whales – named after the whalers who hunted them in huge numbers – are occasional visitors to the Azores. Beaked whales in general are mysterious creatures, shying away from people and little understood, so it’s a real treat if you spot one in the Azores.

The nearly identical pygmy sperm whales and dwarf sperm whales are solitary rarities with needle-like teeth used for chewing up squid.

North Atlantic right whales are vanishingly rare, almost hunted to extinction and still considered critically endangered, with around 350 left in the world. You’ll know them by their leisurely swim – which made them the “right” whales to hunt – as well as by the amazed face of your whale watching guide.