Like all rorqual whales, minkes are fast swimmers. They are difficult to follow, because they do not breathe regularly and often change direction. It is not unusual for one to vanish as if by magic! Minke whales eat by either gulping or skimming. They seek out swarms of krill and small schooling fish near the surface, such as herring. They fill their expandable mouths with water and filter the food through the baleen. Sometimes, a minke whale will lunge feed by shooting straight out of the water, its mouth wide open. Minke whales are often seen feeding with noisy flocks of seabirds.
| Very little is known about the social life of minke whales. No-one has found a special breeding ground, if one exists. It is thought that births take place in winter, and that calves stay with their mothers for only four to six months. That may be one reason why minkes seen off B.C. in the summer are usually alone, although it seems that minkes are very solitary whales.
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