North American Wildlife

Dolphins,Killer-Whales,Pilot-Whales



Long-beaked Common Dolphin
(Delphinus capensis)
3 images
Long-beaked Common Dolphin
Long-beaked Common Dolphin distribution map The Long-beaked Common Dolphin is similar in appearance to the Short-beaked Common Dolphin but has longer beak. It is black or dark brown with white or cream underside. The flippers are the same color as the back (black or dark brown). There is a...  Read more >
Short-beaked Common Dolphin
(Delphinus delphis)
2 images
Short-beaked Common Dolphin
Short-beaked Common Dolphin distribution map The Short-beaked Common Dolphin is black or dark brown with white or cream underside. The flippers are the same color as the back (black or dark brown). There is a pale marking along the side that separates the dark back from white underside. This...  Read more >
Short-finned Pilot Whale
(Globicephala macrorhynchus)
2 images
Short-finned Pilot Whale
Short-finned Pilot Whale distribution map The Short-finned Pilot Whale is black with a white patch on the chin. The white patch may extend down the belly. The head is large and rounded with no beak. They have seven to nine teeth on each side of upper and lower jaw. The flippers are shorter...  Read more >
Long-finned Pilot Whale
(Globicephala melas)
2 images
Long-finned Pilot Whale
Long-finned Pilot Whale distribution map The Long-finned pilot whale is black with a white belly. The body is robust and cylindrical in shape, tapering towards the long tail. The head is rounded. The dorsal fin is low with long base and positioned well forward on the body. The flippers are...  Read more >
Risso's Dolphin
(Grampus griseus)
3 images
Risso's Dolphin
Risso's Dolphin distribution map Risso's Dolphin is pale gray with a blunt bulbous head and large dorsal fin. Adults are covered with pale scratches and scars. Juveniles are darker and have no scarring. The flippers are long and pointed. There is a groove from the tip of the snout...  Read more >
Atlantic White-sided Dolphin
(Lagenorhynchus acutus)
1 image
Atlantic White-sided Dolphin
Atlantic White-sided Dolphin distribution map The Atlantic White-sided Dolphin has black back and gray sides. The underside is white from the lower jaw to just past the anus. There are distinctive yellow-white patches on the sides within the gray area. The eyes are surrounded by black rings....  Read more >
Pacific White-sided Dolphin
(Lagenorhynchus obliquidens)
1 image
Pacific White-sided Dolphin
Pacific White-sided Dolphin distribution map The Pacific White-sided Dolphin is black or dark gray on the back with white underside. The fins and flippers are unusual in that they are "two-tone", colored dark and white. They are sometimes seen in schools of 1000 or more.  Read more >
Killer Whale
(Orcinus orca)
4 images
Killer Whale
Killer Whale distribution map The Killer Whale is the largest member of the dolphin family. It ids mostly black above and white underneath. The back and pectoral flippers are black, except for the gray saddle area located just behind the dorsal fin. The underside is mostly...  Read more >
Dall's Porpoise
(Phocoenoides dalli)
3 images
Dall's Porpoise
Dall's Porpoise distribution map Dall's Porpoise is a stocky compact porpoise with small head. It is black with bright white sides and underside. The tail and the dorsal fin is usually tipped withy whitish gray. There are two color types - the main difference is extent of white...  Read more >
False Killer Whale
(Pseudorca crassidens)
3 images
False Killer Whale
False Killer Whale distribution map The False Killer Whale is a large black or dark gray dolphin with pale gray underside. The body is long with a narrow dorsal fin with rounded tip, and long pointed flippers. The snout is bulbous. There is a pale ring around the eye. It has similar...  Read more >
Pantropical Spotted Dolphin
(Stenella attenuata)
2 images
Pantropical Spotted Dolphin
Pantropical Spotted Dolphin distribution map The Pantropical Spotted Dolphin is gray and develops spots on the skin as it grows older. The back is gray with pale spots, and the belly is pale with dark spots. The snout is white and it has a fatty bump on its forehead. Males are larger than...  Read more >
Striped Dolphin
(Stenella coeruleoalba)
1 image
Striped Dolphin
Striped Dolphin distribution map Striped dolphins are bluish-gray in color with a dark back and whitish underside. They have a dark blue-black stripe running across the entire length of the body, from the eye to the anus. Striped Dolphins are often seen leaping out of the water and...  Read more >
Atlantic Spotted Dolphin
(Stenella frontalis)
4 images
Atlantic Spotted Dolphin
Atlantic Spotted Dolphin distribution map The Atlantic Spotted Dolphin has a dark back with pale spots and a white belly with dark spots. The calves have no spots at birth, and begin to develop spots about the time that they are weaned. The number of spots increases with age. The beak is...  Read more >
Spinner Dolphin
(Stenella longirostris)
3 images
Spinner Dolphin
Spinner Dolphin distribution map The Spinner Dolphin gets its name from its habit of leaping out of the water, twirling and landing with noisy splash. The back is dark grey and belly is white. On each side there is a paler gray side panel.  Read more >
Bottlenose Dolphin
(Tursiops truncatus)
1 image
Bottlenose Dolphin
Bottlenose Dolphin distribution map The Bottlenose Dolphin has a short rounded bottle-shaped snout. The large dorsal fin is slightly hooked and set half way along the body. Overall the body colour is a series of grey tones with an indistinct paler grey wash on the flanks. The belly is...  Read more >