auk

This term refers specifically to a group of diving seabirds. While the word is often used as a general category for the Alcidae family, it is most famously associated with the Great Auk, a flightless species that became extinct in the mid-19th century.

In a biological context, the word evokes images of rugged coastal environments and specialized evolutionary adaptations, such as wings that function more like flippers for underwater propulsion than for aerial flight.