Whales in New York in October
Yes, October is a good month to see whales in New York. It is the 5th busiest month of the year, with 48 of the 462 sightings logged across the year (10.4%), based on verified iNaturalist records.
By Tim, founder of Easy Street Markets. I maintain the wildlife database and verify every animal and source myself. Updated June 28, 2026.
Sperm Whale · Zihao Wang CC BY
Tamanend's Bottlenose Dolphin · Steven Bodzin CC BY
Humpback Whale · tomas_kay CC BY
Good month for whales in New York
10.4%
of yearly sightings
48
records in October
#5
busiest month of 12
462
verified records a year
September 14.9%, October 10.4%, November 3.9%. Busiest month is June at 16.9%.
462 verified observations of whales in New York, recorded across 12 months of the year on iNaturalist.
When whales are recorded in New York
Peak month
June
78 records (16.9% of the year)
| Month | Observations | Share |
|---|---|---|
| January | 13 | 2.8% |
| February | 12 | 2.6% |
| March | 18 | 3.9% |
| April | 25 | 5.4% |
| May | 29 | 6.3% |
| Junepeak | 78 | 16.9% |
| Julypeak | 63 | 13.6% |
| August | 61 | 13.2% |
| Septemberpeak | 69 | 14.9% |
| October | 48 | 10.4% |
| November | 18 | 3.9% |
| December | 28 | 6.1% |
Whales you are most likely to see
| Species | Verified observations |
|---|---|
| Tamanend's Bottlenose Dolphin | 178 |
| Humpback Whale | 143 |
| Common Dolphin | 28 |
| Common Minke Whale | 15 |
| Harbour Porpoise | 8 |
| Sperm Whale | 6 |
| Fin Whale | 5 |
| Sei Whale | 4 |
In New York, October carries 10.4% of the year's whales sightings, about 2.1 points above an even month-to-month split. That makes it the 5th busiest of the twelve months, out of 12 months with recorded activity.
Activity is easing off from September (14.9%) into October, and it heads toward November (3.9%) after. The busiest month is June (16.9%), so if timing is flexible, that window is the safer bet.
The whales most often recorded in New York are Tamanend's Bottlenose Dolphin, Humpback Whale and Common Dolphin. Those counts are annual totals rather than a October split, so treat them as which species you are likely to encounter, while the month figures above show how many sightings fall in October itself.
Which whales you are most likely to see
- Tamanend's Bottlenose Dolphin178 records
- Humpback Whale143 records
- Common Dolphin28 records
- Common Minke Whale15 records
- Harbour Porpoise8 records
- Sperm Whale6 records
Frequently asked questions
Can you see whales in New York in October?+
Yes. October accounts for 48 of the 462 verified whales sightings logged in New York across the year, which is 10.4% of the annual total.
Is October a good time to see whales in New York?+
October is the 5th busiest month. It is workable, though June and September is the stronger window for a reliable sighting.
What month is best for whales in New York?+
June is the single busiest month, with the broader peak running through June, September and July, based on 462 verified observations.
Which whales are you most likely to see in New York?+
The most-recorded species in New York are Tamanend's Bottlenose Dolphin, Humpback Whale and Common Dolphin, based on all-time iNaturalist counts.
See whales in New York in other months
More wildlife in New York