Humpback whale showing the baleen plates.

This is the latter stage in the feeding sequence of a humpback whale. The whale has just surfaced with its mouth wide open. Note that the pink, hard plate and the fibrous baleen plates hanging from the upper jaw. The mouth is about to close, forcing the water out through the baleen plates, retaining food such as herring in the mouth and in the huge throat pouch.

NOAA Humpback whale showing baleen