Spyhopping

A second behavior that gray whales often engage in is “spyhopping” — pushing themselves vertically out of the water for up to thirty seconds.

Spyhopping is when orcas raise their heads above water to see what's going on around them - particularly useful when hunting.

Spyhopping involves projection of the rostrum out of the water. This enables the individual to see above the surface of the water, perhaps to spot potential prey (for killer whales), predators, or conspecifics.