The term common dolphin tends to refer to the short-beaked common dolphin and the long-beaked common dolphin that is found in warmer seas worldwide. The common dolphin is generally found around the Mediterranean Sea but is also commonly seen in deep offshore waters and to a lesser extent over continental shelves that are preferred to shallower waters.

Some populations of dolphins may be present all year round, others appear to move in a migratory pattern. Common dolphins travel in groups of around 10-50 in number and frequently gather in schools numbering 100 to 2000 individuals.