The white-beaked dolphin grows up to 3 metres and is sturdy and plump looking. The body is mostly black or grey with a pale saddle behind the dorsal fin and white bands on the flanks.

This species is endemic to the temperate and sub-Arctic waters of the North Atlantic as far north as the White Sea and occasionally as far south as the Spanish coast. It is common off the Icelandic and the Norwegian coast and in the North Sea as well.

In eastern Canada, white-beaked dolphins are sometimes known as “squid-hounds”, but they also eat a wide range of fish, ranging from small schooling fish such as common herring to larger bottom-dwelling fish such as cod, whiting and haddock.

White-beaked dolphins are known to be very social and have been spotted bowriding waves that are created by nearby boats.

In order to communicate with one another, each dolphin uses a variety of clicks and whistles at slightly different pitches and tonalities that allow each dolphin to understand which one is communicating in the group.