Stats

Lifespan

4-7 yrs

Size

Medium

Diet

Carnivore

Activity

Crepuscular

Social

School

Biome

Temperate freshwater river

Range

North America

Movement

Swimming

Breeding

Egg-laying

Defense

Camouflage

Status

Common

About

A freshwater salmonid named for the iridescent pink stripe running along its flank from gill to tail. Sea-going populations called steelhead can travel hundreds of kilometres upriver to spawn before returning to the ocean.

Life cycle

1. 1.
   hatchling fry

   A tiny fry hatches with a yolk sac and begins free-swimming once the sac is absorbed.
2. 2.
   juvenile

   A juvenile takes on adult body shape and feeds on small prey, often in nursery waters.
3. 3.
   adult

   Fully grown at adult size and coloration.

Learn more

• View on iNaturalist →
• Watch on YouTube →

Taxonomy

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Chordata

Class

Actinopterygii

Order

Salmoniformes

Family

Salmonidae

Genus

Oncorhynchus

Species

Oncorhynchus mykiss