Baleen Plates  

   Baleen plates are essential to the feeding of the humpback whale, and is necessary to be cost effective to support the diet of small organisms and migratory behaviors of the gigantic whale. Baleen plates are hundreds of plates made out of the structural protein keratin. There are 2 layers of keratin with a small layer of tubules in between (Hall, 2018). With the whales' rough tounge and constant flow of food, the ends are often frayed which aides in filtration. The food is essentially caught in between the plates allowing the whale to seperate the food from the sediment/water. (Hakai, n.d.)

Blowholes and Lungs

   With the constant foraging at deep depths, the breathing needs to be times just right. The lungs are relatively small, but have the holding capacity of a small car. This also aids in the bubble nets, as the air is released through the blowhole. This unique mechanism allows the mouth to be solely for feeding, increasing the cost-effective aspect of the feeding methods. (Lanzetti et al., 2020)

Sensory   

    Humpback whales utilize communication in order to find food. They have songs that are often unqie to a certain pod or area of whales. This is different than toothed whales who use echolation to find their prey. Using songs inherently makes them more social and allows them to be efficient in their feeding. (Whale and Dolphin Conservation, 2018)