Whales and Dolphins of the Azores: 28 Species Guide

Quick answer

A visual, evidence-led guide to 28 whale and dolphin species documented around the Azores, with identification notes and responsible-watching context.

Cetaceans documented around the Azores

The checklist covers 28 cetacean species documented for the Azores in the cited dataset. Some are seen regularly, while others are seasonal, offshore or exceptional records. The singular illustrations support recognition and storytelling, but photographs, expert guidance and current sighting data are better for identification at sea.

A documented regional record is not a promise of a sighting; occurrence, seasonality and abundance differ by species.

28 documented cetaceans

Complete for the 28 taxa in the cited GBIF/UAc Azores EEZ dataset.

The categories native, migrant, vagrant and indeterminate are biogeographic classifications in the cited UAc material, not abundance estimates or guarantees of a whale-watching sighting.

These visitor bands describe encounter likelihood, not global conservation status or a sighting guarantee. Island, season, habitat, depth, weather and luck all matter.

Common or more likely encounters in the Azores11

Oceanic dolphins (Delphinidae) (6)

Illustration of a single Short-finned pilot whale (Globicephala macrorhynchus) for the Azores species directory — English name: Short-finned pilot whaleScientific name: *Globicephala macrorhynchus*Azorean reference: Baleia-piloto-tropical
M — migrant in the cited UAc classification; documented in the Azores EEZ.
Older DOP/UAc-linked Azorean name; modern Portuguese also uses baleia-piloto-de-barbatana-curta.
John Kenrick Gibson · CC0 1.0

Illustration of a single Short-beaked common dolphin (Delphinus delphis) for the Azores species directory — English name: Short-beaked common dolphinScientific name: *Delphinus delphis*Azorean reference: Golfinho-comum
N — native in the cited UAc classification; documented in the Azores EEZ.
Established DOP/UAc-linked Azorean usage.
© Atlantic Heritage Unipessoal Lda

Illustration of a single Risso's dolphin (Grampus griseus) for the Azores species directory — English name: Risso's dolphinScientific name: *Grampus griseus*Azorean reference: Grampo
N — native in the cited UAc classification; documented in the Azores EEZ.
Moleiro is also recorded in the DOP/UAc-linked Azorean list.
Morgan Caygill · CC BY 4.0

Illustration of a single Striped dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba) for the Azores species directory — English name: Striped dolphinScientific name: *Stenella coeruleoalba*Azorean reference: Golfinho-riscado
M — migrant in the cited UAc classification; documented in the Azores EEZ.
Established DOP/UAc-linked usage.
Lucas Benaiche · CC BY-SA 4.0

Illustration of a single Atlantic spotted dolphin (Stenella frontalis) for the Azores species directory — English name: Atlantic spotted dolphinScientific name: *Stenella frontalis*Azorean reference: Golfinho-pintado
M — migrant in the cited UAc classification; documented in the Azores EEZ.
Established DOP/UAc-linked usage.
© Atlantic Heritage Unipessoal Lda

Illustration of a single Common bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) for the Azores species directory — English name: Common bottlenose dolphinScientific name: *Tursiops truncatus*Azorean reference: Roaz
N — native in the cited UAc classification; documented in the Azores EEZ.
Established regional Portuguese name in the DOP/UAc-linked list.
Alexandros Kellaris · CC BY 2.0

Rorquals (Balaenopteridae) (4)

Illustration of a single Sei whale (Balaenoptera borealis) for the Azores species directory — English name: Sei whaleScientific name: *Balaenoptera borealis*Azorean reference: Baleia-sardinheira
M — migrant in the cited UAc classification; documented in the Azores EEZ.
Established DOP/UAc-linked usage.
Federico Muñoz · CC0 1.0

Illustration of a single Blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus) for the Azores species directory — English name: Blue whaleScientific name: *Balaenoptera musculus*Azorean reference: Baleia-azul
M — migrant in the cited UAc classification; documented in the Azores EEZ.
Established DOP/UAc-linked usage.
© Atlantic Heritage Unipessoal Lda

Illustration of a single Fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus) for the Azores species directory — English name: Fin whaleScientific name: *Balaenoptera physalus*Azorean reference: Baleia-comum
M — migrant in the cited UAc classification; documented in the Azores EEZ.
Established DOP/UAc-linked usage.
© Atlantic Heritage Unipessoal Lda

Illustration of a single Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) for the Azores species directory — English name: Humpback whaleScientific name: *Megaptera novaeangliae*Azorean reference: Baleia-de-bossas
M — migrant in the cited UAc classification; documented in the Azores EEZ.
Established DOP/UAc-linked usage; baleia-corcunda is another widespread Portuguese name.
NOAA · Public domain

Sperm whales (Physeteridae) (1)

Illustration of a single Sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus) for the Azores species directory — English name: Sperm whaleScientific name: *Physeter macrocephalus*Azorean reference: Cachalote
N — native in the cited UAc classification; documented in the Azores EEZ.
Established DOP/UAc-linked usage and central to Azorean whaling history.
© Atlantic Heritage Unipessoal Lda

Rare, exceptional, localised or specialist encountersClick to view more17

Oceanic dolphins (Delphinidae) (5)

Illustration of a single Long-finned pilot whale (Globicephala melas) for the Azores species directory — English name: Long-finned pilot whaleScientific name: *Globicephala melas*Azorean reference: Baleia-piloto
M — migrant in the cited UAc classification; documented in the Azores EEZ.
DOP/UAc-linked regional list; baleia-piloto-de-barbatana-longa is the more explicit modern form.
Barney Moss · CC BY 2.0

Illustration of a single Fraser's dolphin (Lagenodelphis hosei) for the Azores species directory — English name: Fraser's dolphinScientific name: *Lagenodelphis hosei*Azorean reference: Golfinho-de-Fraser
V — vagrant; the GBIF/UAc dataset narrative identifies it as certainly occasional in the Azores EEZ.
Portuguese name cross-checked in Azores cetacean material; absent from the older 27-species DOP/UAc-linked table.
Wang.QG · CC BY 4.0

Illustration of a single Killer whale (orca) (Orcinus orca) for the Azores species directory — English name: Killer whale (orca)Scientific name: *Orcinus orca*Azorean reference: Orca
I — occurrence category indeterminate in the cited UAc classification; documented in the Azores EEZ.
Established DOP/UAc-linked usage.
steve b · CC0 1.0

Illustration of a single False killer whale (Pseudorca crassidens) for the Azores species directory — English name: False killer whaleScientific name: *Pseudorca crassidens*Azorean reference: Falsa-orca
I — occurrence category indeterminate in the cited UAc classification; documented in the Azores EEZ.
Established DOP/UAc-linked usage.
Jan Ebr & Ivana Ebrová · CC BY 4.0

Illustration of a single Rough-toothed dolphin (Steno bredanensis) for the Azores species directory — English name: Rough-toothed dolphinScientific name: *Steno bredanensis*Azorean reference: Caldeirão
V — vagrant in the cited UAc classification; documented in the Azores EEZ.
Distinctive regional name recorded in the DOP/UAc-linked Azorean list.
Fábio Olmos · CC BY 4.0

Rorquals (Balaenopteridae) (2)

Illustration of a single Bryde's whale (Balaenoptera edeni) for the Azores species directory — English name: Bryde's whaleScientific name: *Balaenoptera edeni*Azorean reference: Baleia-de-Bryde
M — migrant in the cited UAc classification; documented in the Azores EEZ.
Established DOP/UAc-linked usage; the B. edeni complex has a difficult taxonomic history, so retain the dataset's scientific name.
Ian Dugdale · CC BY 4.0

Illustration of a single Common minke whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) for the Azores species directory — English name: Common minke whaleScientific name: *Balaenoptera acutorostrata*Azorean reference: Baleia-anã
I — occurrence category indeterminate in the cited UAc classification; documented in the Azores EEZ.
Established DOP/UAc-linked usage.
Nils · CC BY 4.0

Right whales (Balaenidae) (1)

Illustration of a single North Atlantic right whale (Eubalaena glacialis) for the Azores species directory — English name: North Atlantic right whaleScientific name: *Eubalaena glacialis*Azorean reference: Baleia-franca
The 2020 UAc poster prints M (migrant), while the GBIF/UAc dataset narrative explicitly calls this species certainly occasional/vagrant in the Azores EEZ. Editorially treat any Azores record as exceptional, not as a normal visitor sighting.
Established DOP/UAc-linked usage.
Kevin Lynch · CC BY 4.0

Dwarf and pygmy sperm whales (Kogiidae) (2)

Illustration of a single Pygmy sperm whale (Kogia breviceps) for the Azores species directory — English name: Pygmy sperm whaleScientific name: *Kogia breviceps*Azorean reference: Cachalote-pigmeu
I — occurrence category indeterminate in the cited UAc classification; documented in the Azores EEZ.
Established DOP/UAc-linked usage.
Charlotte Kirchner · CC BY 4.0

Illustration of a single Dwarf sperm whale (Kogia sima) for the Azores species directory — English name: Dwarf sperm whaleScientific name: *Kogia sima*Azorean reference: Cachalote-anão
I — occurrence category indeterminate in the cited UAc classification; documented in the Azores EEZ.
Established DOP/UAc-linked usage; older references may print the superseded spelling Kogia simus.
Robert Pitman (NOAA) · Public domain

Beaked whales (Ziphiidae) (6)

Illustration of a single Northern bottlenose whale (Hyperoodon ampullatus) for the Azores species directory — English name: Northern bottlenose whaleScientific name: *Hyperoodon ampullatus*Azorean reference: Baleia-de-bico-de-garrafa
M — migrant in the cited UAc classification; documented in the Azores EEZ.
Botinhoso is an alternative in the DOP/UAc-linked Azorean list.
Saana Isojunno · CC BY-SA 4.0

Illustration of a single Sowerby's beaked whale (Mesoplodon bidens) for the Azores species directory — English name: Sowerby's beaked whaleScientific name: *Mesoplodon bidens*Azorean reference: Baleia-de-bico-de-Sowerby
N — native in the cited UAc classification; documented in the Azores EEZ.
Established DOP/UAc-linked usage.
Charlotte Kirchner · CC BY 4.0

Illustration of a single Blainville's beaked whale (Mesoplodon densirostris) for the Azores species directory — English name: Blainville's beaked whaleScientific name: *Mesoplodon densirostris*Azorean reference: Baleia-de-bico-de-Blainville
I — occurrence category indeterminate in the cited UAc classification; documented in the Azores EEZ.
Established DOP/UAc-linked usage.
MatthewGrammatico · CC BY-SA 3.0

Illustration of a single Gervais' beaked whale (Mesoplodon europaeus) for the Azores species directory — English name: Gervais' beaked whaleScientific name: *Mesoplodon europaeus*Azorean reference: Baleia-de-bico-de-Gervais
I — occurrence category indeterminate in the cited UAc classification; documented in the Azores EEZ.
Established DOP/UAc-linked usage.
steve b · CC0 1.0

Illustration of a single True's beaked whale (Mesoplodon mirus) for the Azores species directory — English name: True's beaked whaleScientific name: *Mesoplodon mirus*Azorean reference: Baleia-de-bico-de-True
I — occurrence category indeterminate in the cited UAc classification; documented in the Azores EEZ.
Established DOP/UAc-linked usage.
Roland Edler · CC BY 4.0

Illustration of a single Cuvier's beaked whale (Ziphius cavirostris) for the Azores species directory — English name: Cuvier's beaked whaleScientific name: *Ziphius cavirostris*Azorean reference: Zífio
I — occurrence category indeterminate in the cited UAc classification; documented in the Azores EEZ.
Established DOP/UAc-linked usage; baleia-de-bico-de-Cuvier is a transparent Portuguese alternative.
© Atlantic Heritage Unipessoal Lda

Porpoises (Phocoenidae) (1)

Illustration of a single Harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) for the Azores species directory — English name: Harbour porpoiseScientific name: *Phocoena phocoena*Azorean reference: Boto
V — vagrant; the GBIF/UAc dataset narrative identifies it as certainly occasional in the Azores EEZ.
Name recorded in the DOP/UAc-linked Azorean list; boto can be ambiguous outside this taxonomic context.
Erik Christensen · CC BY-SA 3.0

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Sources and verification

Official and primary sources used for this article. Links checked 4 September 2026.