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Yellow Perch

Yellow Perch

Perca flavescens

Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Class Actinopterygii
Order Perciformes
Family Percidae
Genus Perca
Species P. flavescens
Lifespan Maximum of 9 to 10 years
Size 4 to 10 inches long; weight over a pound is rare
Offspring Average clutch size of 23,000 eggs (but the number of eggs is related to the size of the female)
Status Secure
Yellow Perch

About Yellow Perch:

What do yellow perch look like?

Yellow perch are long, laterally compressed fish. Their heads and mouths are large, and they have small, sharp teeth. They are yellowish-green with dark vertical bands. Anal fins are green or yellow-orange. Their dorsal fins are olive-colored and their bellies are cream-colored. Compared to other perch species, yellow perch are small - rarely more than 10 inches long.

Where do yellow perch live?

Yellow perch are isolated to North America only. They have native habitats ranging from the Great Lakes, to North Carolina, to the Hudson Bay. They are found in ponds, lakes, and slow-moving rivers among aquatic vegetation along shorelines.

What do yellow perch eat?

Yellow perch diets are determined by their age and size. As young, they primarily feed on zooplankton. They later switch to macroinvertebrates around age one. As adults, yellow perch feed on aquatic insects, small crustaceans, and small fishes.


Fun Facts!

  • Yellow perch are mostly diurnal, meaning that they are active during the day. However, when they are spawning, they are active during borh the day and the night.
  • Yellow perch travel in schools of 50 to 200 fish. They arrange their school by size and age, and swim in a spindle shape. Large adults are less likely to travel in schools. Male and female yellow perch often segregate into separate schools.
  • Yellow perch are a vital food source for several bird species including Common Loons, Double-crested Cormorants, eagles, mergansers, and more. Their populations are secure in New Hampshire, but conservationists stress the importance of protecting shoreline vegetation and riparian buffers to maintain healthy yellow perch populations.
  • Yellow perch are a popular game fish that can be caught year round by young and old alike.

Mammals

American Mink
American Mink
Black Bear
Black Bear
Bobcat
Bobcat
Coyote
Coyote
Fisher
Fisher
Gray Fox
Gray Fox
Mountain Lion
Mountain Lion
Red Fox
Red Fox
River Otter
River Otter
White-footed Mouse
White-footed Mouse
White-tailed Deer
White-tailed Deer

Birds

Bald Eagle
Bald Eagle
Barred Owl
Barred Owl
Broad-winged Hawk
Broad-winged Hawk
Goshawk
Goshawk
Great Horned Owl
Great Horned Owl
Red-shouldered Hawk
Red-shouldered Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Turkey Vulture
Turkey Vulture

Reptiles and Amphibians

American Bullfrog
American Bullfrog
Gray Tree Frog
Gray Tree Frog
Green Frog
Green Frog
Painted Turtle
Painted Turtle
Spotted Turtle
Spotted Turtle

Fish

Brook Trout
Spotted Turtle
Yellow Perch
Yellow Perch
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