spy-hop
Whale's vertical peek
Spy-hop is a behavior seen in whales and dolphins where the animal rises vertically out of the water, head first, to look around above the surface.
The whale holds this position briefly, sometimes rotating, apparently to observe its surroundings—boats, shorelines, or other points of interest.
We watched the gray whale spy-hop repeatedly near our kayak.
The term combines the surveillance implied by spy with the vertical bobbing motion.
Large predatory dolphin
- whaleHuge sea mammal
- dolphinEcholocating marine mammal
- killer whaleApex ocean predator
- humpbackBaleen whale species
gray whale · sperm whale · beluga · pilot whale · porpoise · pod · calf · cow
Breaking of agreement
- surfaceOutermost boundary layer
- riseMove to higher position
- emergeCome out into view
- verticalAt right angles groundward
bob · peek · scan · lift · stationary · upright · treading · hover
Measuring and charting terrain
- scanningSystematic visual examination
- lookingUsing eyes to observe
- watchingActively looking at something
- peeringStudying something with concentration
visual · above-water · eyes · reconnaissance · awareness · alertness · orientation · assessment
orca
Large predatory dolphin
- whaleHuge sea mammal
- dolphinEcholocating marine mammal
- killer whaleApex ocean predator
humpback · gray whale · sperm whale · beluga · pilot whale · porpoise · pod · calf · cow · bull
breach
Breaking of agreement
vertical · bob · peek · scan · lift · stationary · upright · treading · hover · popping
surveying
Measuring and charting terrain
- scanningSystematic visual examination
- lookingUsing eyes to observe
- watchingActively looking at something
peering · visual · above-water · eyes · reconnaissance · awareness · alertness · orientation · assessment · inspection
ocean
Massive saltwater body
saltwater · coastal · Arctic · Antarctic · Pacific · waves · current · ice floe · shoreline · boat