Photo: no rights reserved · CC0 · Source and license. Displayed as a resized crop. Photograph illustrates the species.
Habitat
Coastal waters, with rivers and freshwater spawning areas; some populations live in lakes
Published habitat depth
Often captured at 56–100 m at sea; enters shallow freshwater to spawn
Viewing activities
Not classified
What to look for
A silvery fish with a dusky spot behind the head.
Life and behavior
Ocean-going populations migrate into fresh water to spawn; landlocked populations move into shallows and tributaries.
When to look
The available records do not establish a reliable local viewing season. Use the map’s month filter to inspect dated observations; it does not predict an encounter.
WHERE HAS IT BEEN RECORDED?
Explore the featured regions
These dated records show past presence. They do not establish today’s abundance, guarantee a sighting, or describe the species’ entire range.
Chesapeake Bay
Recorded here
590 OBIS records in the regional query · snapshot 2026-09-12.
Individual records in this sample do not supply habitat or depth. Use the species reference above for biological context.
