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Minke whales

Minke whales have been known to breach clear of the water in some areas, including the Hebrides. Minke whales feed on whatever food source is most abundant in the area, which in the Hebrides is small fish such as herring. They feed by engulfing large volumes of prey and water, and sieving the water back out through their baleen plates which hang from the upper jaw of their mouths, then they swallow the prey whole. Baleen whales have been seen feeding in association with seabirds, in particular kittiwakes, Manx shearwaters and young gulls.