Blue whales are the largest animals on Earth (up to 100 feet, 200 tons) and are identified by their pale blue-gray color, tiny dorsal fin, and enormous heart-shaped blow. Humpback whales (45–55 feet) are known for their long pectoral fins, acrobatic breaching, and complex songs. Fin whales (70–85 feet) are the second-largest whale and are recognized by a distinctive white patch on their lower right jaw. Orcas (killer whales, 20–30 feet) are the most visually distinctive — black and white, highly social, and often seen in family pods. All four species can be spotted on whale watching tours from Long Beach with Harbor Breeze Cruises.
At a Glance: Side-by-Side Comparison
Blue Whale
- Length: 80–100 feet (up to 110 ft)
- Weight: Up to 200 tons
- Color: Pale blue-gray, mottled pattern
- Blow: Tall, column-shaped — up to 30 ft
- Dorsal fin: Very small, set far back
- Diet: Krill exclusively
- Best season in SoCal: June – October
- Behavior: Lunge-feeding, long surface rolls
Humpback Whale
- Length: 40–60 feet
- Weight: 25–40 tons
- Color: Dark gray/black, white undersides
- Blow: Bushy, balloon-shaped
- Dorsal fin: Small hump with hooked fin
- Diet: Krill, small schooling fish
- Best season in SoCal: March – October
- Behavior: Breaching, bubble-net feeding, singing
Orca (Killer Whale)
- Length: 20–32 feet (males larger)
- Weight: 6–10 tons
- Color: Black and white, distinctive eye patch
- Blow: Short, bushy, angled
- Dorsal fin: Tall, up to 6 ft (males); curved (females)
- Diet: Fish (residents) or marine mammals (transients)
- Best season in SoCal: Year-round; peaks Oct – May
- Behavior: Pod hunting, breaching, spyhopping
Fin Whale
- Length: 65–85 feet
- Weight: 40–80 tons
- Color: Dark gray, asymmetric white right jaw
- Blow: Very tall, narrow column — up to 20 ft
- Dorsal fin: Prominent, set far back, swept-back angle
- Diet: Krill, small fish
- Best season in SoCal: Year-round; peaks Oct – May
- Behavior: Fast swimmer; “fin whale roll” on feeding
How to Tell Them Apart on the Water
The blow (exhalation) is your first and most reliable identification tool at distance. A towering column? Likely a blue or fin whale. A bushy, heart-shaped cloud? Humpback. A short, quick puff? Orca. Our naturalist guides walk guests through identification in real time — but knowing the basics before you board makes the experience far richer.
The dorsal fin is the next key marker when the whale surfaces. Orcas are unmistakable — that tall black fin is unlike anything else in California waters. Humpbacks show a small, knobby hump before the fin (which is how they earned their name). Fin whales have a prominent, swept-back dorsal fin that appears dramatically far down their backs. Blue whales have an almost embarrassingly small fin for such an enormous animal.
Behavior: Who Does What?
Humpback whales are by far the most theatrical. They are the species most likely to breach (launch themselves out of the water), slap their pectoral fins on the surface (pec-slapping), or perform dramatic tail-lobs. Blue whales, by contrast, are more deliberate — their behavior on the surface is largely about breathing and diving efficiently enough to consume thousands of pounds of krill per day. Orcas are highly social and animated in family pods, while fin whales are notoriously fast and sometimes called “the greyhounds of the sea.”
Which One Will You See?
That depends entirely on when you go — check out our month-by-month whale watching guide and the live sightings report for the most current conditions. Harbor Breeze tours encounter all four of these species regularly, and our whale species pages go deep on the biology of each one.
The NOAA West Coast Marine Mammal Program and the Cascadia Research Collective both maintain ongoing studies on these species in Southern California waters — fascinating reading if you want to go deeper.
Ready to identify one in the wild? We’ll take you there!