When and where to see it
Pilot whales are seen all year, with most sightings from November to April. Some groups keep coming back to the island for years, and researchers who photograph their fins recognise the same animals again and again.
They feed mostly at night, diving deep for squid, and spend much of the day resting or travelling slowly near the surface. That makes them easy to watch from a boat in the morning and early afternoon.
| Species | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Short-finned pilot whale | January: main season | February: main season | March: main season | April: main season | May: also seen | June: also seen | July: also seen | August: also seen | September: also seen | October: also seen | November: main season | December: main season |
How to recognise it
A pilot whale is black or very dark grey, with a bulging, rounded forehead and almost no beak. The dorsal fin sits well forward on the back and is broad and swept back; in adult males it is bigger and thicker.
Round head
A melon-shaped forehead with no visible beak.
Fin set forward
A low, wide, hooked fin about a third of the way along the back.
Close groups
Several animals often surface side by side, sometimes with a calf.
| Length | Females up to about 5.5 m, males up to about 7 m |
|---|---|
| Weight | Up to about 3 t |
| Food | Squid, some fish |
| Dives | Down to 600–1,000 m, mostly at night |
| Groups | Family groups of 10–30, sometimes more |
| IUCN Red List | Least concern |
Seen off Calheta in spring 2017
Trips from Calheta with this species in the spring 2017 sightings log (2 of 15):
16 February, 11 April
Tips for a good sighting
Resting groups lie quietly at the surface, which is called logging, and a calm boat can stay near them for a long time. Boats should come in slowly from the side and never split a group or pass between a mother and her calf.
How boats should behave around whales and dolphins is in responsible whale watching, and the trips from the marina are in whale and dolphin watching.
Read next
- Sperm whaleThe deep diver: when it is around, and how to spot the blow and the tail.
- Bottlenose dolphinBig, grey and curious; some come back to the same waters every year.
- Common dolphinThe winter and spring visitor, often in big, busy groups.
- Whale watchingSpecies by month, boats from the marina and how to choose a trip.