what kind of whales are in hawaii

Hawaii’s waters host many whale species, but a handful are especially common and well known.

Main whales people see in Hawaii

• Humpback whales – The superstars of Hawaii’s whale season (roughly winter months). Thousands migrate from Alaska to breed, give birth, and nurse in warm Hawaiian waters.

• Short-finned pilot whales – Dark, social whales often seen in tight pods, resident around the islands and spotted year-round.

• False killer whales – Sleek, black toothed whales that travel in family groups and sometimes approach boats; also present year-round.

• Melon-headed whales – Small, dark whales that can form very large groups; more offshore but regularly recorded around Hawaii.

• Pygmy killer whales – Smaller, more elusive whales that also live in Hawaiian waters and may be seen on deeper-water trips.

• Sperm whales – Deep-diving giants that hunt squid in very deep water off the islands; sightings are less common and usually far offshore.

• Occasional killer whales (orcas) – Rare visitors, but they have been documented passing through Hawaiian waters.

Baleen (filter-feeding) whales in Hawaii

Scientists have documented eight baleen whale species in Hawaiian waters.

• Humpback whale (most common and easily seen)

• Sei whale

• Fin whale

• Minke whale

• Blue whale

• Bryde’s whale

• North Pacific right whale

• Gray whale (rare visitor, but documented)

Most visitors only ever see humpbacks , because they come close to shore, breach, and are the focus of most whale-watching tours.

Toothed whales and dolphins around Hawaii

Researchers list 18 species of toothed whales (odontocetes) in Hawaiian waters, including the “whales” above plus many dolphin species.

Some key toothed species that tours or researchers commonly encounter:

• Short-finned pilot whale

• False killer whale

• Melon-headed whale

• Pygmy killer whale

• Sperm whale

• Killer whale (orca, rare)

These share the ocean with resident dolphins such as spinner and bottlenose dolphins, which many people see on snorkel or boat trips.

Simple comparison of prominent species

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Species	Type	How often seen by visitors?	Notes
Humpback whale	Baleen	Very common in winter	Breaches, tail slaps, main focus of whale-watching.
Short-finned pilot whale	Toothed	Fairly common year-round	Dark, social pods, often around deep channels.
False killer whale	Toothed	Occasional	Curious, sometimes approach boats.
Melon-headed whale	Toothed	Offshore, occasional	Large, fast-moving groups.
Sperm whale	Toothed	Uncommon	Deep-water diver, usually far offshore.
Killer whale (orca)	Toothed	Rare	Occasional visitor to Hawaiian waters.

If you’re visiting and want to see whales

• Best chance: Take a whale-watching tour between roughly December and March for humpbacks.

• For year-round species like pilot and false killer whales, choose tours that go into deeper offshore waters and advertise multi-species encounters.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.