Humpback Whale Behaviour During the Sydney Migration
Each year thousands of humpback whales migrate past Sydney as they travel along Australia’s east coast between Antarctic feeding grounds and warmer breeding waters in Queensland. During this migration the whales display a wide range of behaviours that can often be observed during whale watching tours.
Many of these movements serve important purposes such as communication, navigation, or social interaction between whales travelling together. Understanding what these behaviours mean can make whale watching even more interesting, as each action often reveals something about how humpback whales interact with their environment and with each other.
Breaching is one of the most dramatic behaviours seen during whale watching. A humpback whale launches its body out of the water before landing back on the surface, often creating a large splash.
Researchers believe breaching can serve several purposes. It may be a form of communication between whales over long distances, as the sound created when the whale lands can travel through the water. Breaching may also help whales remove parasites from their skin or simply be part of social interaction between whales travelling together.
During the migration season off Sydney, breaching is regularly observed when whales are travelling in small groups or interacting with other whales nearby.
Humpback whales are also known for striking the water with their tails or pectoral fins. These behaviours are often referred to as tail slapping or flipper slapping.
A tail slap occurs when the whale lifts its tail above the water and forcefully strikes the surface. Flipper slapping involves raising one of the long pectoral fins and bringing it down against the water.
These actions are believed to play a role in communication between whales. The sound created by the impact can travel through the ocean and may help whales signal their presence to others nearby.
Humpback whales are often seen travelling in pairs or small groups during the migration. These groups may include adult whales travelling together or mothers moving south with newly born calves later in the season.
When whales travel together they often surface in a coordinated pattern. Observing this behaviour can give clues about how whales interact and maintain contact with one another as they move along the coastline.
Later in the season, sightings of mothers and calves become more common along the New South Wales coast as whales return south toward Antarctic feeding grounds.
One of the first signs of whales nearby is the visible blow created when a whale exhales at the surface. The blow appears as a mist of water rising above the ocean and can often be seen from a distance.
Humpback whales typically surface several times in a row before diving again. Watching the rhythm of these surfacing patterns helps experienced crews anticipate where a whale may appear next.
This behaviour is particularly helpful during whale watching tours, where spotting the blow can be the first indication that whales are moving through the area.
Many humpback whale behaviours are most visible during the migration season. As whales travel along the coastline they encounter other whales moving in the same direction, which increases opportunities for social interaction.
Migration is also a period when whales may communicate more frequently with each other while travelling or competing for mates in the northern breeding areas. These interactions can lead to behaviours such as breaching, tail slapping and surface activity.
For people observing from the water, these moments provide a rare opportunity to see how humpback whales behave in their natural environment as they move along one of the busiest whale migration routes in the world.
The waters off Sydney sit directly along the migration route used by humpback whales travelling north and south each year. This makes the region one of the most reliable places in Australia to observe whale behaviour during the migration season.
Many of the behaviours described above can be seen during whale watching tours departing from Sydney Harbour, where vessels travel offshore to observe whales moving along the coastline.
Understanding what these movements mean can make each sighting even more memorable, as every breach, tail slap or surfacing pattern offers insight into the lives of these remarkable animals.