Gray whales feed in shallow coastal waters with muddy or sandy bottoms. They are migratory and rely on a variety of coastal habitats. During summer, they stay in waters of up to 60 m in depth and within 0.5 km to 166 km of shore. During fall, eastern gray whales migrate along the west coast of North America and spend winter in waters of less than 4 m in depth. These waters tend to be hyper-saline and are between 15 and 20 degrees C. Winter calving grounds usually have muddy or sandy bottoms and may contain eelgrass beds or be adjacent to mangrove swamps.

Range depth: < 4 to 60 m.

Habitat Regions: temperate ; tropical ; polar ; saltwater or marine

Aquatic Biomes: benthic ; coastal