What is the largest species of beaked whale?

Baird’s beaked whale is the largest species of beaked whale. Its scientific name is Berardius bairdii, and it is also known as the northern giant bottlenose whale. The species lives mainly in the North Pacific and belongs to the family Ziphiidae, a group famous for deep-diving behavior and relatively little-known lives at sea.

Adult Baird’s beaked whales can reach roughly 12 meters, with females generally growing larger than males. They have elongated beaks and only a small number of visible teeth, usually one or two pairs in the lower jaw. These teeth are often called “battle teeth” because males may use them during aggressive encounters, leaving individuals heavily scarred.

The whale was first formally described in 1883 by zoologist Leonhard Stejneger, who named it after Spencer Fullerton Baird of the Smithsonian Institution. Baird’s and Arnoux’s beaked whales are extremely similar; genetic evidence and their separate geographic ranges support treating them as different species.

The sperm whale is larger overall, but it is not a beaked whale. Among the true beaked whales, Baird’s beaked whale holds the size record, making the stored answer the standard accepted response.