The classic American panfish — round, blue-and-orange, and willing to bite almost any small bait. Famously the first fish many North Americans ever catch.
§ Quick facts
§ Encyclopedia
The bluegill, sometimes referred to as "bream", "brim", "sunny", or, in Texas, "copper nose", is a species of North American freshwater fish, native to and commonly found in streams, rivers, lakes, ponds and wetlands east of the Rocky Mountains. It is the type species of the genus Lepomis, from the family Centrarchidae in the order Centrarchiformes.
Source: Wikipedia — Bluegill Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
§ Identification
Field marks. Round panfish with deep body; turquoise face; orange belly.
Similar species. Pumpkinseed. Crappie.
Voice. Silent.
§ Diet & behavior
Diet. Aquatic insects, crustaceans, small fish.
Behavior. Most abundant US sport fish. Males build nests.
§ Range
Native to eastern + central US; stocked widely
§ Habitat
Lakes, ponds, slow rivers with vegetation
§ Threats
Eutrophication killing oxygen, lakeshore development reducing nesting habitat, invasive species.
§ Conservation status
According to the IUCN Red List, the bluegill is currently classified as Least Concern.
§ What helps
Maintain natural lakeshore vegetation. Don't fertilize lawns near water. Allow modest harvest for population health.
§ Further reading
- Wikipedia — Bluegill
- www.nwf.org — authoritative profile of Lepomis macrochirus
- IUCN Red List · taxon 61260
- iNaturalist · taxon 49626
- GBIF occurrence records
- Encyclopedia of Life — Lepomis macrochirus
§ Sources cited
- American Fisheries Society
- Bass Anglers Sportsman Society
- IUCN Red List 2013
