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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河流Salmonidae

At a glance

水域
淡水
Habitat
河流
最大长度
76 cm
分布范围
North Pacific
Salmonidae
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可长到约 76 厘米,常见于河流附近。

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.

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