All three species are characterized by very distinctive blows or spouts. In both the bowhead and the right whales, the projection of the blow upward from two widely separated blowholes assumes a very wide V-shape with two distinct columns, which may be seen when the animals are viewed from front or back. Though this character may be visible under ideal conditions in many of the other baleen whales species as well, it is exaggerated and uniformly distinct in the bowhead and right whales and may be used as one of the primary key characters. In the sperm whale, the blow emanates from a blowhole which is displaced to the left of the head near the front and projects obliquely forward to the animal's left. This blow seen under ideal conditions positively labels a large whale as a sperm whale.
Remember, however, that wind conditions may affect the disposition and duration of the blow of any species and that a single character alone is seldom sufficient to permit positive identification.
Body to 65 feet (19.8 m) long.[8] Body dark; back smooth. Chin and belly often white. Head lacks callosities. Baleen dark gray with gray fringes; to 12 feet (3.7 m) or more. Upper jaw and lower lip strongly arched. Two blowholes clearly separated. Blow projects upward in wide V-shape. Distribution restricted to Arctic waters south to Davis Straits. Flukes raised on longer dives.
[Footnote 8: These figures are near maximum sizes recorded for the North Atlantic. All three species have been heavily exploited by whale fisheries. Therefore maximum sizes today may be significantly less than these figures (see text).
It should also be noted that differences in methods of measurements often account for discrepancies in reported lengths.]
Body to 53 feet (16.2 m) long. Body from dark to light gray and mottled; back smooth; chin and belly usually white. Head and lower jaw covered with callosities (the largest of which is called the bonnet and is set on top of the snout). Baleen usually dark gray with dark fringes; to 7.2 feet (2.2 m). When animals swim, mouth agape, near surface; baleen sometimes appears pale brownish to yellowish gray in color. Upper jaw and lower lip strongly arched. Two blowholes clearly separated. Blow projects upward in wide V-shape. Distribution extends from Iceland south at least to Florida and reported from Texas. Flukes raised on longer dives.