Redd excavation

Most salmon, trout, and charr bury their eggs in a gravel nest called a redd. A female excavates her redd by turning on her side and vigorously undulating her body which may involve some forward and upward swimming motion. Upward motion is restricted when spawning in very shallow water (depth much less than a body length) suggesting that the surface functions as a backboard. In deeper water the female will move forward at a steeper angle. The female will finesse larger sized pebbles into the center of her redd. She assesses her progress by probing: https://www.salmonography.com/Salmonid-Topic/Probing-behavior/

Coho Salmon spawning pair
Female Coho Salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) ecavating her redd while alpha male guards. Aspect Ratio = 4:5.
Actinopterygii Alaska Alaska wild salmon Autumn Chordata Class Actinopterygii Coho Salmon Infraclass Teleostei Neopterygii Oncorhynchus kisutch Pacific salmon Phylum Chordata Salmonidae Salmoniformes Salmoninae Seacam underwater housing Silver Salmon South Central Alaska Subclass Neopterygii Teleost Teleostei United States Vertebrate alpha male biosphere chordate digging excavating in situ naturalworld nature salmonography.com spawning behavior underwater underwaterphoto wild wild salmon
Coho Salmon spawning pair
Female Coho Salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) ecavating her redd While male guards. Aspect Ratio = 4:5.
Actinopterygii Alaska Alaska wild salmon Autumn Chordata Class Actinopterygii Coho Salmon Infraclass Teleostei Neopterygii Oncorhynchus kisutch Pacific salmon Phylum Chordata Salmonidae Salmoniformes Salmoninae Seacam underwater housing Silver Salmon South Central Alaska Subclass Neopterygii Teleost Teleostei United States Vertebrate biosphere chordate in situ naturalworld nature underwater underwaterphoto wild wild salmon
Pink Salmon spawning pair
Pink Salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) female excavates her redd as a male guards. Aspect Ratio = 2:3.
Actinopterygii Alaska Alaska wild salmon Chordata Class Actinopterygii Cordova Eccles Creek Humpback Salmon Infraclass Teleostei Neopterygii Oncorhynchus gorbuscha Pacific salmon Phylum Chordata Pink Salmon Prince William Sound Salmonidae Salmoniformes Salmoninae Seacam underwater housing South Central Alaska Subclass Neopterygii Summer Teleost Teleostei United States Vertebrate biosphere chordate in situ naturalworld nature salmonography.com underwater underwaterphoto wild wild salmon
Female Sockeye salmon digs her redd in stream gravel while male guards.
Mature Sockeye Salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) paired up for spawning in an Alaska, USA stream. Female digs her redd in stream gravel while her alpha male guards.
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 Teleost Teleostei United States Vertebrate alpha male biosphere chordate digging excavating in situ naturalworld nature salmonography.com spawning behavior underwater underwaterphoto wild wild salmon
Female Chum Salmon excavating her redd
Female Chum Salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) excavating her redd in stream gravel alongside spawning Pink Salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha). Aspect Ratio = 2:3.
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 Snell's window South Central Alaska Subclass Neopterygii Teleost Teleostei United States Vertebrate biosphere chordate covering redd digging excavating in situ naturalworld nature photographed under water salmonography.com spawning behavior underwater underwater photography underwaterphoto wild wild salmon