White-beaked Dolphins are restricted to shelf habitats and occupy waters less than 200 m deep (Kinze 2009). Within this habitat type, water temperature appears to be an important driver for white-beaked dolphin distribution with the species showing a preference for colder water typically less than 18 °C (MacLeod et al. 2007, Canning et al. 2008, MacLeod 2013). Warming water temperature has been linked to an observed shift in cetacean communities off West Scotland, characterised by a reduction in the relative occurrence of White-beaked Dolphins and an increase in Common Dolphin (Delphinus delphis) (MacLeod et al. 2005). Further studies have proposed sea surface temperature thresholds of 12 °C (MacLeod et al.,2007) and 13–14 °C (MacLeod et al. 2008) where common dolphins replace White-beaked Dolphins in areas, however, the mechanism for this change is not fully understood.

White-beaked Dolphins feed on a variety of fish and squid across their range and geographical differences reflect the local abundance of prey species. In the North Sea stomach contents analysis revealed a relatively high importance for demersal species such as Cod (Gadus morhua) and Haddock (Melanogrammus aeglefinus) (Canning et al. 2008, Jansen et al. 2010). For animals stranded around the Scottish coast Haddock, Whiting (Merlangius merlangus) and Cod were the most important prey species representing 43%, 24% and 11% of the total reconstructed weight, respectively (Canning et al. 2008). Stomach contents analysis for White-beaked Dolphins strandings along the Dutch coast showed that Gadidae species made up 98% of the stomach contents by weight, with Whiting and Cod being the most important prey species (Jansen et al. 2010). This pattern was consistent across the time frame of the study (1968 to 2005) and there was no evidence that White-beaked Dolphins changed prey species to compensate for changes in abundance of Whiting and Cod caused by over-fishing. This suggests that white-beaked dolphins in this area are highly selective for gadoid prey species (Jansen et al. 2010).

White-beaked Dolphin feeding behaviour observed in the Minch, West Scotland was consistent with sub-surface feeding on demersal species and contrasted with Common Dolphins observed during the same period which fed at the surface on epipelagic species (Weir et al. 2009). White-beaked Dolphins foraged in deeper waters, further north and were not observed feeding in association with Gannets (Morus bassanus) or Common Dolphins (Delphinus delphis). In contrast, White-beaked Dolphins off Iceland have been observed feeding on Capelin (Mallotus villosus) and this foraging behaviour is associated with feeding birds and other marine mammal species (e.g. Humpback Whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) (Rasmussen et al. 2013).

The White-beaked Dolphin is endemic to the North Atlantic and occupies cold temperate and sub-polar shelf waters. Within European waters the species is recorded in high densities in several locations including Icelandic and Norwegian waters, the North Sea, the Scottish west coast, and the Barents Sea (Kinze 2009). Vagrant animals sometimes enter the Baltic Sea (Skóra 1991). Outside of European waters, the Labrador Shelf is also an important area of high density.