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 Chordata Class Actinopterygii Infraclass Teleostei Neopterygii Oncorhynchus nerka Pacific salmon Phylum Chordata Power Creek Red Salmon Salmonidae Salmoniformes Salmoninae Sockeye Salmon South Central Alaska Subclass Neopterygii Summer Teleost Teleostei United States Vertebrate chordate displacement activity male behavior male salmon digging near Cordova 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 CRD Chordata Class Actinopterygii Copper River Delta Humpback Salmon Infraclass Teleostei Neopterygii Oncorhynchus gorbuscha Pacific salmon Phylum Chordata Pink Salmon Salmonidae Salmoniformes Salmoninae Seacam underwater housing South Central Alaska Subclass Neopterygii Summer Teleost Teleostei United States Vertebrate biosphere chordate displacement activity in situ male behavior male salmon digging naturalworld nature underwater underwaterphoto wild wild salmon
Displacement Activity
A male Sockeye Salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) makes a displacement activity dig.
Actinopterygii Alaska Alaska wild salmon Chordata Class Actinopterygii Infraclass Teleostei Neopterygii Oncorhynchus nerka Pacific salmon Phylum Chordata Red Salmon Salmonidae Salmoniformes Salmoninae Seacam underwater housing Sockeye Salmon South Central Alaska Subclass Neopterygii Summer Teleost Teleostei United States Vertebrate biosphere chordate displacement activity in situ male behavior male salmon digging naturalworld nature underwater underwaterphoto wild wild salmon
Male Sockeye Salmon digging
Male Sockeye Salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) digging.
Actinopterygii Alaska Alaska wild salmon Chordata Class Actinopterygii Infraclass Teleostei Neopterygii Oncorhynchus nerka Pacific salmon Phylum Chordata Red Salmon Salmonidae Salmoniformes Salmoninae Seacam underwater housing Sockeye Salmon South Central Alaska Subclass Neopterygii Summer Teleost Teleostei United States Vertebrate biosphere chordate displacement activity in situ male behavior male salmon digging naturalworld nature 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 Chordata Class Actinopterygii Infraclass Teleostei Neopterygii Oncorhynchus nerka Pacific salmon Phylum Chordata Red Salmon Salmonidae Salmoniformes Salmoninae Seacam underwater housing Sockeye Salmon South Central Alaska Subclass Neopterygii Summer Teleost Teleostei United States Vertebrate biosphere chordate displacement activity in situ male behavior male salmon digging naturalworld nature underwater underwaterphoto wild wild salmon
Dsplacement Activity
A female Sockeye Salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) pauses over her redd while a male makes a displacement activty dig followed by two competing males.
Actinopterygii Alaska Alaska wild salmon Chordata Class Actinopterygii Infraclass Teleostei Neopterygii Oncorhynchus nerka Pacific salmon Phylum Chordata Red Salmon Salmonidae Salmoniformes Salmoninae Seacam underwater housing Sockeye Salmon South Central Alaska Subclass Neopterygii Summer Teleost Teleostei United States Vertebrate biosphere chordate covering redd displacement activity in situ male behavior male salmon digging naturalworld nature 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 Chordata Class Actinopterygii Infraclass Teleostei Neopterygii Oncorhynchus nerka Pacific salmon Phylum Chordata Red Salmon Salmonidae Salmoniformes Salmoninae Seacam underwater housing Sockeye Salmon South Central Alaska Subclass Neopterygii Summer Teleost Teleostei United States Vertebrate biosphere chordate displacement activity in situ male behavior male salmon digging naturalworld nature underwater underwaterphoto wild wild salmon
Displacement Activity
A male Sockeye Salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) makes a displacement activity dig.
Actinopterygii Alaska Alaska wild salmon Chordata Class Actinopterygii Infraclass Teleostei Neopterygii Oncorhynchus nerka Pacific salmon Phylum Chordata Red Salmon Salmonidae Salmoniformes Salmoninae Seacam underwater housing Sockeye Salmon South Central Alaska Subclass Neopterygii Summer Teleost Teleostei United States Vertebrate biosphere chordate displacement activity in situ male behavior male salmon digging naturalworld nature underwater underwaterphoto wild wild salmon
Displacement Activity
A male Sockeye Salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) makes a displacement activity dig.
Actinopterygii Alaska Alaska wild salmon Chordata Class Actinopterygii Infraclass Teleostei Neopterygii Oncorhynchus nerka Pacific salmon Phylum Chordata Red Salmon Salmonidae Salmoniformes Salmoninae Seacam underwater housing Sockeye Salmon South Central Alaska Subclass Neopterygii Summer Teleost Teleostei United States Vertebrate biosphere chordate displacement activity in situ male behavior male salmon digging naturalworld nature underwater underwaterphoto wild wild salmon
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 (left foregound in image).
Actinopterygii Alaska Alaska wild salmon Chordata Chum Salmon Class Actinopterygii Dog Salmon Fish Humpback Salmon Infraclass Teleostei Neopterygii Oncorhynchus gorbuscha Oncorhynchus keta Pacific salmon Phylum Chordata Pink Salmon Salmonidae Salmoniformes Salmoninae Seacam underwater housing South Central Alaska Subclass Neopterygii Teleost Teleostei United States Vertebrate aggression biosphere chordate displacement activity fighting in situ male behavior male salmon digging naturalworld nature 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 (left foregound in image).
Actinopterygii Alaska Alaska wild salmon Chordata Chum Salmon Class Actinopterygii Dog Salmon Fish Humpback Salmon Infraclass Teleostei Neopterygii Oncorhynchus gorbuscha Oncorhynchus keta Pacific salmon Phylum Chordata Pink Salmon Salmonidae Salmoniformes Salmoninae Seacam underwater housing South Central Alaska Subclass Neopterygii Teleost Teleostei United States Vertebrate aggression biosphere chordate displacement activity fighting in situ male behavior male salmon digging naturalworld nature photographed under water summer underwater underwater photography underwaterphoto wild wild salmon
Displacement Activity
A male Sockeye Salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) makes a displacement activity dig.
Actinopterygii Alaska Alaska wild salmon Chordata Class Actinopterygii Infraclass Teleostei Neopterygii Oncorhynchus nerka Pacific salmon Phylum Chordata Red Salmon Salmonidae Salmoniformes Salmoninae Seacam underwater housing Sockeye Salmon South Central Alaska Subclass Neopterygii Summer Teleost Teleostei United States Vertebrate biosphere chordate displacement activity in situ male behavior male salmon digging naturalworld nature 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 Carangidae Chordata Class Actinopterygii Infraclass Teleostei Jack Neopterygii Oncorhynchus nerka Pacific salmon Perciformes Percoidei Phylum Chordata Red Salmon Salmonidae Salmoniformes Salmoninae Seacam underwater housing Sockeye Salmon South Central Alaska Subclass Neopterygii Summer Teleost Teleostei United States Vertebrate biosphere chordate displacement activity in situ male behavior male salmon digging male salmon digging4 marine life naturalworld nature underwater underwaterphoto wild wild salmon