freshwater
Redbreast Sunfish
Lepomis auritus
Deep, laterally compressed body with an olive-green to brownish back, yellow-orange belly, and distinctive bright blue-green wavy streaks on the cheek and opercle. The opercular flap (earflap) is notably long, narrow, and entirely black without a colored border.
- Habitat
- Freshwater rivers, streams, creeks, and small to medium…
- Size & weight
- Typically 15 to 23 cm in length and weighing around 100…
- Diet
- Carnivorous, feeding primarily on aquatic insects, insec…
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Physical characteristics
Deep, laterally compressed body with an olive-green to brownish back, yellow-orange belly, and distinctive bright blue-green wavy streaks on the cheek and opercle. The opercular flap (earflap) is notably long, narrow, and entirely black without a colored border.
Habitat & distribution
Freshwater rivers, streams, creeks, and small to medium lakes with rocky or sandy substrates, often found near submerged vegetation, logs, and undercut banks.
Behavior
Solitary outside of the breeding season, territorial when guarding nests, and generally diurnal with peak activity during daylight hours.
Diet
Carnivorous, feeding primarily on aquatic insects, insect larvae, small crustaceans, snails, and occasionally small fish.
Reproduction
Males construct circular nests in shallow gravel or sandy substrates during late spring and summer. They aggressively court females, fertilize the eggs, and diligently guard the nest and fry until they disperse.
Ecological role
Acts as both a predator of aquatic invertebrates and prey for larger piscivorous fish, birds, and mammals, playing a crucial role in maintaining balanced freshwater food webs.
Similar species
Pumpkinseed (Lepomis gibbosus) and Bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus). Distinguished by its extremely long, all-black opercular flap and the bright blue streaks on the head.
Identification tips
Look for the very long, narrow, solid black earflap and the prominent blue-green facial markings combined with a bright orange-yellow chest and belly.
Interesting facts
Redbreast sunfish are known to occasionally hybridize with other sunfish species such as the bluegill and green sunfish, creating offspring with mixed visual characteristics.