As the Arctic warms at an alarming pace, we’re learning that even cold-adapted species like the thick-billed murre aren’t immune to rising temperatures. Our latest study, led by Fred Tremblay from Dr. Kyle Elliot’s lab at McGill adds to the growing understanding that cliff-nesting seabirds are experiencing heat stress far despite ambient air temperatures rarely exceeding 25°C. Using custom 3D-printed murre models painted to mimic the birds’ plumage, we measured “operative temperatures” (the actual heat experienced by an animal) on Coats Island, Nunavut.