Salmon displacement activity

The term displacement activity was coined by the Dutch ethologist Nikolaas Tinbergen when he observed animals shifting behavior when frustrated from completing a motivated behavior such as reproduction. Essentially a displacement activity is doing the wrong thing. It is the female salmon that digs the redd so when males appear to be digging it is a displacement activity. This can occur on crowded spawning grounds when females are inhibited from spawning because of males fighting. This competition between males can lead to female displacemnt activity as well. For example, the female salmon may dig at a location a short distance away from her redd as a displacement activity.

Male displacement activity digging
Alpha male Sockeye Salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) making a displacement activity dig in response to female leaving redd (in background) due an inquisitive female (near alpha male).
Actinopterygii Alaska Animal Biology Chordata Class Actinopterygii Infraclass Teleostei Neopterygii Oncorhynchus nerka Pacific salmon Phylum Chordata Power Creek Red Salmon Reproductive behavior Salmonidae Salmoniformes Salmoninae Sockeye Salmon South Central Alaska Subclass Neopterygii Summer Teleost Teleostei United States Vertebrate biological chordate courtship displacement activity living male behavior male salmon digging near Cordova organism underwater
A male Pink Salmon exhibits frustration by making a displacement activity dig
A male Pink Salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) exhibits frustration by making a displacement activity dig between a rival male and the female building a redd, who has moved aside.
Actinopterygii Alaska Alaska wild salmon Animal Biology CRD Chordata Class Actinopterygii Copper River Delta Ecology Humpback Salmon Infraclass Teleostei Neopterygii Oncorhynchus gorbuscha Pacific salmon Phylum Chordata Pink Salmon Reproductive behavior Salmonidae Salmoniformes Salmoninae Seacam underwater housing South Central Alaska Subclass Neopterygii Summer Teleost Teleostei United States Vertebrate biological biosphere chordate courtship displacement activity in situ living male behavior male salmon digging naturalworld nature organism underwater underwaterphoto wild wild salmon
Displacement Activity
A male Sockeye Salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) makes a displacement activity dig.
Actinopterygii Alaska Alaska wild salmon Animal Biology Chordata Class Actinopterygii Ecology Infraclass Teleostei Neopterygii Oncorhynchus nerka Pacific salmon Phylum Chordata Red Salmon Reproductive behavior Salmonidae Salmoniformes Salmoninae Seacam underwater housing Sockeye Salmon South Central Alaska Subclass Neopterygii Summer Teleost Teleostei United States Vertebrate biological biosphere chordate courtship displacement activity in situ living male behavior male salmon digging naturalworld nature organism underwater underwaterphoto wild wild salmon
Male Sockeye Salmon digging
Male Sockeye Salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) digging.
Actinopterygii Alaska Alaska wild salmon Animal Biology Chordata Class Actinopterygii Ecology Infraclass Teleostei Neopterygii Oncorhynchus nerka Pacific salmon Phylum Chordata Red Salmon Reproductive behavior Salmonidae Salmoniformes Salmoninae Seacam underwater housing Sockeye Salmon South Central Alaska Subclass Neopterygii Summer Teleost Teleostei United States Vertebrate biological biosphere chordate courtship displacement activity in situ living male behavior male salmon digging naturalworld nature organism underwater underwaterphoto wild wild salmon
Male Sockeye salmon digging displacement activity
Male Sockeye salmon digging displacement activity. Female in background. Aspect ratio = 2:3.
Actinopterygii Alaska Alaska wild salmon Animal Biology Chordata Class Actinopterygii Ecology Infraclass Teleostei Neopterygii Oncorhynchus nerka Pacific salmon Phylum Chordata Red Salmon Reproductive behavior Salmonidae Salmoniformes Salmoninae Seacam underwater housing Sockeye Salmon South Central Alaska Subclass Neopterygii Summer Teleost Teleostei United States Vertebrate anadromous anadromy biological biosphere chordate courtship diadromous diadromy displacement activity fresh water freshwater in situ living lotic male behavior male salmon digging migratory naturalworld nature organism semelparity semelparous stream under fresh water underwater underwaterphoto wild wild salmon
Conflicts
A female Sockeye Salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) pauses over her redd while a male makes a displacement activty dig followed by two competing males. In the background is another female that potentially could attack the female in the foreground.
Actinopterygii Alaska Alaska wild salmon Animal Biology Chordata Class Actinopterygii Ecology Infraclass Teleostei Neopterygii Oncorhynchus nerka Pacific salmon Phylum Chordata Red Salmon Reproductive behavior Salmonidae Salmoniformes Salmoninae Seacam underwater housing Sockeye Salmon South Central Alaska Subclass Neopterygii Summer Teleost Teleostei United States Vertebrate biological biosphere chordate courtship covering redd displacement activity in situ living male behavior male salmon digging naturalworld nature organism spawning behavior underwater underwaterphoto wild wild salmon
Displacement Activity
A male Sockeye Salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) makes a displacement activity dig.
Actinopterygii Alaska Alaska wild salmon Animal Biology Chordata Class Actinopterygii Ecology Infraclass Teleostei Neopterygii Oncorhynchus nerka Pacific salmon Phylum Chordata Red Salmon Reproductive behavior Salmonidae Salmoniformes Salmoninae Seacam underwater housing Sockeye Salmon South Central Alaska Subclass Neopterygii Summer Teleost Teleostei United States Vertebrate biological biosphere chordate courtship displacement activity in situ living male behavior male salmon digging naturalworld nature organism underwater underwaterphoto wild wild salmon
Displacement Activity
A male Sockeye Salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) makes a displacement activity dig.
Actinopterygii Alaska Alaska wild salmon Animal Biology Chordata Class Actinopterygii Ecology Infraclass Teleostei Neopterygii Oncorhynchus nerka Pacific salmon Phylum Chordata Red Salmon Reproductive behavior Salmonidae Salmoniformes Salmoninae Seacam underwater housing Sockeye Salmon South Central Alaska Subclass Neopterygii Summer Teleost Teleostei United States Vertebrate biological biosphere chordate courtship displacement activity in situ living male behavior male salmon digging naturalworld nature organism underwater underwaterphoto wild wild salmon
Displacement Activity
A male Sockeye Salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) makes a displacement activity dig.
Actinopterygii Alaska Alaska wild salmon Animal Biology Chordata Class Actinopterygii Ecology Infraclass Teleostei Neopterygii Oncorhynchus nerka Pacific salmon Phylum Chordata Red Salmon Reproductive behavior Salmonidae Salmoniformes Salmoninae Seacam underwater housing Sockeye Salmon South Central Alaska Subclass Neopterygii Summer Teleost Teleostei United States Vertebrate biological biosphere chordate courtship displacement activity in situ living male behavior male salmon digging naturalworld nature organism underwater underwaterphoto wild wild salmon
Displacement activity dig
Male Sockeye Salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) being trailed by a jack makes a displacement activty dig as the female swims away.
Actinopterygii Animal Biology Chordata Class Actinopterygii Ecology Infraclass Teleostei Neopterygii Oncorhynchus nerka Pacific salmon Phylum Chordata Red Salmon Reproductive behavior Salmonidae Salmoniformes Salmoninae Seacam underwater housing Sockeye Salmon Subclass Neopterygii Summer Teleost Teleostei Vertebrate biological biosphere chordate courtship displacement activity in situ jack jack salmon living male behavior male salmon digging naturalworld nature organism precocial male precocious male underwater underwaterphoto wild
Female displacement activity
The intrusion of a male Chum Salmon (Oncorhynchus keta), which is being attacked by one of the male Pink Salmon (O. gorbuscha) into the territory of this female Pink Salmon has interrupted redd construction. In frustation, she is making a displacement activity dig upstream of her redd, which in foregound of this image.
Actinopterygii Alaska Alaska wild salmon Animal Biology Chordata Chum Salmon Class Actinopterygii Dog Salmon Ecology Fish Humpback Salmon Infraclass Teleostei Neopterygii Oncorhynchus gorbuscha Oncorhynchus keta Pacific salmon Phylum Chordata Pink Salmon Reproductive behavior Salmonidae Salmoniformes Salmoninae Seacam underwater housing South Central Alaska Subclass Neopterygii Teleost Teleostei United States Vertebrate aggression biological biosphere chordate courtship displacement activity fighting in situ living male behavior male salmon digging naturalworld nature organism photographed under water summer underwater underwater photography underwaterphoto wild wild salmon
Female displacement activity
The intrusion of a male Chum Salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) into the territory of this female Pink Salmon (O. gorbuscha) has interrupted redd construction. In frustation, she is making a displacement activity dig upstream of her redd, which in foregound of this image.
Actinopterygii Alaska Alaska wild salmon Animal Biology Chordata Chum Salmon Class Actinopterygii Dog Salmon Ecology Fish Humpback Salmon Infraclass Teleostei Neopterygii Oncorhynchus gorbuscha Oncorhynchus keta Pacific salmon Phylum Chordata Pink Salmon Reproductive behavior Salmonidae Salmoniformes Salmoninae Seacam underwater housing South Central Alaska Subclass Neopterygii Teleost Teleostei United States Vertebrate aggression biological biosphere chordate courtship displacement activity fighting in situ living male behavior male salmon digging naturalworld nature organism photographed under water summer underwater underwater photography underwaterphoto wild wild salmon
Male Sockeye Salmon displacement activity
An alpha male Sockeye Salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) makes a displacement activity dig in response to interest by two competitors (right side of frame). The female is just visible in the background behind the posteror end of the alpha male in the frame.
Actinopterygii Alaska Animal Biology Chordata Class Actinopterygii Ecology Infraclass Teleostei Neopterygii Oncorhynchus nerka Pacific salmon Phylum Chordata Power Creek Red Salmon Reproductive behavior Salmonidae Salmoniformes Salmoninae Seacam underwater housing Sockeye Salmon South Central Alaska Subclass Neopterygii Teleost Teleostei United States Vertebrate biological biosphere chordate courtship displacement activity in situ living male behavior male salmon digging naturalworld nature near Cordova organism underwater underwaterphoto wil
Displacement Activity
A male Sockeye Salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) makes a displacement activity dig.
Actinopterygii Alaska Alaska wild salmon Animal Biology Chordata Class Actinopterygii Ecology Infraclass Teleostei Neopterygii Oncorhynchus nerka Pacific salmon Phylum Chordata Red Salmon Reproductive behavior Salmonidae Salmoniformes Salmoninae Seacam underwater housing Sockeye Salmon South Central Alaska Subclass Neopterygii Summer Teleost Teleostei United States Vertebrate biological biosphere chordate courtship displacement activity in situ living male behavior male salmon digging naturalworld nature organism underwater underwaterphoto wild wild salmon
Male Sockeye Salmon digging displacement activity
Male Sockeye Salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) digging displacement activity. Female in background. Aspect ratio = 16:9.
Actinopterygii Alaska Alaska wild salmon Animal Biology Carangidae Chordata Class Actinopterygii Ecology Infraclass Teleostei Jack Neopterygii Oncorhynchus nerka Pacific salmon Perciformes Percoidei Phylum Chordata Red Salmon Reproductive behavior Salmonidae Salmoniformes Salmoninae Seacam underwater housing Sockeye Salmon South Central Alaska Subclass Neopterygii Summer Teleost Teleostei United States Vertebrate biological biosphere chordate courtship displacement activity in situ living male behavior male salmon digging marine life naturalworld nature organism underwater underwaterphoto wild wild salmon