The thick-billed murre swims far better than it flies.

Takeoff is awkward, but once it's airborne, the thick-billed murre can fly at about 75 miles an hour. Among the deepest underwater divers of all birds, it uses its stubby wings to "fly" through the water, routinely reaching depths of more than 330 feet—sometimes even twice that—in pursuit of the fish, squid, and crustaceans it feeds on.

Covered in black feathers on its head, back, and wings and white feathers on its breast and underside, this waterbird can be found in and around Arctic waters. In the summer it breeds off the rocky coasts of Alaska, Canada, Greenland, Scandinavia, and Russia. But in winter—when it's not breeding—the thick-billed murre is at sea,