Run timing

The particular dates or calendar period when salmon return to spawn is called run timing. Run timing can refer to various life stage phases depending on context. Run timing often refers to when a given salmon population migrates upstream from the ocean; for example, there may be a spring run or a fall run. The run timing of spawning date may follow this same order at a latter date and may take place over more or less time. Run timing is an example of how salmon adapt to their physical environment and so varies by species as well as location.

Unspawned late run Pink Salmon
Gravid and therefore unspawned late run Pink Salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) female arriving at a holding area next to spawning habiat alongside late Sockeye Salmon (O. nerka; red tail end just ahead on the right side of the frame) and Coho Salmon (O. kisutch) at various stages of maturation.
Actinopterygii Animal Autumn Biology Chordata Class Actinopterygii Coho Salmon Ecology Humpback Salmon Infraclass Teleostei Neopterygii Oncorhynchus gorbuscha Oncorhynchus kisutch Oncorhynchus nerka Pacific salmon Phylum Chordata Pink Salmon Red Salmon Reproductive behavior Salmonidae Salmoniformes Salmoninae Seacam underwater housing Silver Salmon Sockeye Salmon Subclass Neopterygii Teleost Teleostei Vertebrate biological biosphere chordate courtship female gravid in situ living naturalworld nature organism run timing underwater underwaterphoto wild
Run timing difference
Run timing difference between two gravid and therefore unspawned female Coho Salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) suggested by their coloration. The upper fish is ocean bright and thus later running compared to the one below her that is showing breeding colors or nuptial coloration. The weblike pattern on both fish is due to light being dappled by surface waves.
Actinopterygii Animal Autumn Biology Chordata Class Actinopterygii Coho Salmon Ecology Infraclass Teleostei Neopterygii Oncorhynchus kisutch Oncorhynchus nerka Pacific salmon Phylum Chordata Red Salmon Reproductive behavior Salmonidae Salmoniformes Salmoninae Seacam underwater housing Silver Salmon Sockeye Salmon Subclass Neopterygii Teleost Teleostei Vertebrate biological biosphere chordate courtship dappled light female gravid in situ living naturalworld nature nuptial coloration ocean bright organism run timing underwater underwaterphoto wild
Run timing variation
Run timing variation between Pacific salmon species depicted by this mixture of ocean bright Coho Salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) with one female Sockeye Salmon (O. nerka) in nuptial coloration. The latter has been in fresh water for some time whereas the others have just arrived.
Actinopterygii Alaska Animal Autumn Biology Chordata Class Actinopterygii Coho Salmon Ecology Infraclass Teleostei Neopterygii Oncorhynchus kisutch Pacific salmon Phylum Chordata Reproductive behavior Salmonidae Salmoniformes Salmoninae Seacam underwater housing Silver Salmon South Central Alaska Subclass Neopterygii Teleost Teleostei United States Vertebrate biological biosphere chordate courtship in situ living naturalworld nature nuptial coloration ocean bright organism run timing underwater underwaterphoto wild
Run timing variation
Run timing variation between Pacific salmon species depicted by this mixture of ocean bright Coho Salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) with one female Sockeye Salmon (O. nerka) in nuptial coloration. The latter has been in fresh water for some time whereas the others have just arrived.
Actinopterygii Alaska Animal Autumn Biology Chordata Class Actinopterygii Coho Salmon Ecology Infraclass Teleostei Neopterygii Oncorhynchus kisutch Oncorhynchus nerka Pacific salmon Phylum Chordata Red Salmon Reproductive behavior Salmonidae Salmoniformes Salmoninae Seacam underwater housing Silver Salmon Sockeye Salmon South Central Alaska Subclass Neopterygii Teleost Teleostei United States Vertebrate biological biosphere chordate courtship in situ living naturalworld nature nuptial coloration ocean bright organism run timing underwater underwaterphoto wild
Run timing variation
Run timing variation within Coho Salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) depicted by this mixture of ocean bright individuals with one male in nuptial coloration. The latter has been in fresh water for some time whereas the others have just arrived.
Actinopterygii Alaska Animal Autumn Biology Chordata Class Actinopterygii Coho Salmon Ecology Infraclass Teleostei Neopterygii Oncorhynchus kisutch Pacific salmon Phylum Chordata Reproductive behavior Salmonidae Salmoniformes Salmoninae Seacam underwater housing Silver Salmon South Central Alaska Subclass Neopterygii Teleost Teleostei United States Vertebrate biological biosphere chordate courtship in situ living naturalworld nature nuptial coloration ocean bright organism run timing underwater underwaterphoto wild
Run timing variation
Run timing variation between Pacific salmon species depicted by this mixture of ocean bright Coho Salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) with one male Sockeye Salmon (O. nerka) in nuptial coloration. The latter has been in fresh water for some time whereas the others have just arrived.
Actinopterygii Alaska Animal Autumn Biology Chordata Class Actinopterygii Coho Salmon Ecology Infraclass Teleostei Neopterygii Oncorhynchus kisutch Oncorhynchus nerka Pacific salmon Phylum Chordata Red Salmon Reproductive behavior Salmonidae Salmoniformes Salmoninae Seacam underwater housing Silver Salmon Sockeye Salmon South Central Alaska Subclass Neopterygii Teleost Teleostei United States Vertebrate biological biosphere chordate courtship in situ living naturalworld nature nuptial coloration ocean bright organism run timing underwater underwaterphoto wild
Run timing variation
Run timing variation within Coho Salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) depicted by this mixture of ocean bright individuals with one female in nuptial coloration. The latter has been in fresh water for some time whereas the others have just arrived.
Actinopterygii Alaska Animal Autumn Biology Chordata Class Actinopterygii Coho Salmon Ecology Infraclass Teleostei Neopterygii Oncorhynchus kisutch Pacific salmon Phylum Chordata Reproductive behavior Salmonidae Salmoniformes Salmoninae Seacam underwater housing Silver Salmon South Central Alaska Subclass Neopterygii Teleost Teleostei United States Vertebrate biological biosphere chordate courtship in situ living naturalworld nature nuptial coloration ocean bright organism run timing underwater underwaterphoto wild
Run time variability
Sockeye Salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) at various stages of maturation as evidenced by coloration. Whereas a few in nuptial coloration are likely ready to spawn within days others are hardly changed from their bright and silvery ocean colors and thus likely to be weeks from spawning.
Actinopterygii Alaska Animal Biology Chordata Class Actinopterygii Copper River Delta Ecology Infraclass Teleostei Neopterygii Oncorhynchus nerka Pacific salmon Phylum Chordata Red Salmon Reproductive behavior Saddlebag Creek Salmonidae Salmoniformes Salmoninae Seacam underwater housing Sockeye Salmon South Central Alaska Subclass Neopterygii Summer Teleost Teleostei United States Vertebrate biological biosphere chordate courtship in situ jacks living naturalworld nature nuptial coloration ocean bright organism underwater underwaterphoto wild
Ocean bright
A more recent arrival from the sea, the ocean bright Pink salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) in the center of the frame stands out from its conspecifics that are somewhat more mature. This photo also has a few Chum salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) in it.
Actinopterygii Alaska Alaska wild salmon Animal Biology Chordata Chum Salmon Class Actinopterygii Dog Salmon Ecology Fish Hartney Creek 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 biological biosphere chordate courtship covering redd in situ living naturalworld nature near Cordova ocean bright organism photographed under water run timing spawning behavior underwater underwater photography underwaterphoto wild wild salmon
Run timing overlap
Run timing overlap can lead to more than one species being simultaneously mature on the the spawning grounds. Here, a mature male Chum Salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) is attempting to court a female Pink Salmon (O. gorbuscha).
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 summer Teleost Teleostei United States Vertebrate biological biosphere chordate courtship covering redd in situ intertidal spawning living naturalworld nature organism photographed under water run timing spawning behavior underwater underwater photography underwaterphoto wild wild salmon
Run timing overlap
Run timing overlap can lead to more than one species being simultaneously mature on the the spawning grounds. Here, a mature male Chum Salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) is attempting to court a female Pink Salmon (O. gorbuscha).
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 summer Teleost Teleostei United States Vertebrate biological biosphere chordate courtship covering redd in situ intertidal spawning living naturalworld nature organism photographed under water run timing spawning behavior underwater underwater photography underwaterphoto wild wild salmon
Run timing overlap
Run timing overlap leads to simultaneous Pink and Chum salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha and O. keta) spawning migrations in fresh water.
Actinopterygii Alaska Alaska wild salmon Animal Biology Chordata Chum Salmon Class Actinopterygii Dog Salmon Ecology Fish Hartney Creek 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 biological biosphere chordate courtship covering redd in situ living naturalworld nature near Cordova organism photographed under water run timing spawning behavior underwater underwater photography underwaterphoto wild wild salmon