Arctic Thinbill

The Arctic Thinbill is a large, flightless, semiaquatic bird which lives on the coasts of arctic waters. They were featured in the tenth episode of The Fictional Animal Channel.

Facts
Arctic Thinbills are similar in appearance to a loon and an Atlantic puffin, but they are similar in size and shape to a male walrus. Arctic Thinbills roost on land and hunt fish and squid underwater. Because of the their large size, their wings were instead used for stubby paddles, ideal for moving through water at speeds of up to 18 miles (30 kilometers) per hour. To steer, they use their feet as rudders. Further physical developments allow the Thinbill to hunt even more effectively underwater. As it dives into the freezing ocean, it can breath underwater for over an hour. The Thinbill is insulated from the intense cold by a dense coat of feathers and a layer of blubber, which also serve to streamline its body. The bird's diet of primarily fish means that it ingests a lot of salt, which is excreted through glands above the eyes.

Like many average marine birds, Arctic Thinbills have a tightly-knit family structure. A female lays only one egg at a time and tends it with great care. The mother insulates the egg from the bitter cold by clutching it to the underside of her tail with her feet, holding it where it will benefit most from the warmth of her body. During the incubation period (once the chick has hatched and is being tended by the mother) the father is away fishing to bring back food for the whole family. This lifestyle is very similar to that of the average emperor penguin.

Unthinkable Ices
In the episode Unthinkable Ices, a colony of female Arctic Thinbills are nesting on the islands. However, a young male Mountain Werecat tried to harass the colony. The colony were squawking at the cat, but, the Mountain Werecat was too hard to force away. Unfortunately, the cat couldn't handle the squawking and ran off, leaving the birds to stay secure around their area.

A month has passed, and all of the Thinbill eggs have hatched, leaving the females to take care of their new chicks. However, the cat came back again, but this time it is because usually, Mountain Werecats feast on the chicks. The birds are trying to squawk him off again, but then, he catches one of the chicks and then flees, leaving him with an easy treat. The birds have lost a chick, but now, they have to take care of the rest of the chicks, otherwise the chicks would not survive in the cold winter.