Bowhead whales are the only baleen whales that spend their entire lives in and around Arctic waters. The bowhead whales found off Alaska spend the winter months in the southwestern Bering Sea. They migrate northward in the spring, following openings in the pack ice, into the Chukchi and Beaufort seas, hunting krill and zooplankton.

They are slow swimmers and usually travel alone or in small herds of up to six animals. Although they may stay below the water surface for as long as forty minutes in a single dive, they are not thought to be deep divers.

Bowhead whales are highly vocal and use underwater sounds to communicate while traveling, feeding and socializing. Some Bowhead whales make long repetitive songs that may be mating displays.

Breeding has been observed from March through August; conception is believed to occur primarily in March. Reproduction can begin when a whale is 10 to 15 years old. Female Bowhead whales produce a calf once every 3 to 4 years, after a 13 to 14 month gestation period. The newborn calf is about 4.5 metres long and approximately 1000 kilograms (2,200 pounds), growing to 9 metres by its first birthday.