Species learning profile
Pink salmon
Oncorhynchus gorbuscha
Pink salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) is a freshwater fish associated with river habitat in North Pacific. Most populations follow a strict two-year life cycle.
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At a glance
- Agua
- Agua dulce
- Habitat
- Río
- Longitud máxima
- 76 cm
- Distribución
- North Pacific
- Familia
- Salmonidae
- Orden
- Salmoniformes
Observe
How to identify Pink salmon
- Most populations follow a strict two-year life cycle.
- Guide context: river habitat in North Pacific.
- Reported maximum length: 76 cm — up to about the length of a guitar. Maximum is not the same as typical adult size.
Field note: color, size, and markings can change with age, sex, season, depth, and lighting. Use several traits together.
Place and pattern
Where it lives—and how it behaves
Habitat and range
This species is associated with river habitat across North Pacific. Flow, seasonal floods, connected side channels, and access to spawning reaches all shape its river habitat.
Behavior
Returns from sea to spawn once
Food-web connections
What it eats and why it matters
Diet
Plankton, squid, and small crustaceans.
Ecological role
A seasonally abundant prey for marine mammals and birds.
Remember
One fact worth keeping
Pink salmon puede medir unos 76 cm y suele encontrarse cerca de Río.
Think like a conservationist
A conservation lens
River fish depend on connected water. Dams, blocked migrations, pollution, and altered flow can matter even when the channel still looks wet.
This habitat lens is not a current population-status assessment. Status can differ among regions and change as new assessments are published; follow the reference links and local fisheries or wildlife agencies for current decisions.
Recall
Quick knowledge check
Which habitat is most closely associated with Pink salmon in this guide?
Keep exploring
References and further reading
Fishdle summarizes stable identification and ecology concepts in plain language. Taxonomy and population knowledge continue to change, so use primary assessments and regional authorities for conservation or management decisions.
Make connections