- Where to see one
- 5 U.S. zoos in our directory hold bluegill, confirmed against each zoo's own animal list.
Conservation status
Not Evaluated
This species has not been assessed for the IUCN Red List, so it sits outside the threat scale entirely.
About the bluegill
The bluegill is a North American freshwater sunfish native to streams, rivers, lakes, ponds and wetlands east of the Rocky Mountains. Deep, flattened and typically 4 to 12 inches (100-300 mm) long, it has dark blue and purple on the face, olive side bands, a black ear flap on the gill cover and an orange to yellow belly. It shelters among aquatic plants, stumps and snags, eating mostly small aquatic insects and baitfish. In the breeding season males sweep out bowl-shaped nests in dense colonies, sometimes of up to 272 nests, and guard the eggs, while smaller sneaker males try to fertilise them.
Bluegill facts
- Colonies of bluegill nests have been recorded with up to 272 nests.
- Some young males mimic female colouring and sneak into nests to release sperm.
- Parental males delay maturity until around 7 years old, then build and defend nests.
- Bluegills were gifted to Japan's then-crown prince in 1960 and escaped to become an invasive species in Lake Biwa.
Where to see bluegill in the U.S.
5 zoos across 5 states
Find the closest one
Rank the 5 zoos holding bluegill by how far they are from you. Your location is used in your browser to sort this list and is never sent to us.
Arizona· 1
Florida· 1
Louisiana· 1
New York· 1
South Dakota· 1
AZAThe Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Accredited members have passed an independent inspection of animal care and welfare, safety, conservation and education, repeated every five years. Many smaller facilities never apply, so “not accredited” isn't a verdict on its own. What accreditation means · How we check this
Built from each zoo's own published animal list.
