Salmon eggs as food

Salmon eggs provide an important ecological subsidy to salmon spawning streams. Resident salmonines, in particular, benefit through ovivory. They are facultative ovivores. Loose eggs can be scavenged as well, particularly by birds.

Dolly Varden Charr predate a Sockeye Salmon redd as the female works to cover it with stream sediment
Dolly Varden Charr (Salvelinus malma lordi) predate a Sockeye Salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) redd as the female works to cover it with stream sediment.
25Mile Creek Actinopterygii Alaska Alaska wild salmon Animal Biology Chordata Class Actinopterygii Copper River Delta Dolly Varden Dolly Varden Char Dolly Varden Charr Dolly Varden Charr southern form Ecology Infraclass Teleostei Neopterygii Oncorhynchus nerka Pacific salmon Phylum Chordata Red Salmon Salmonidae Salmoniformes Salmoninae Salvelinus malma Salvelinus malma lordi Seacam underwater housing Sockeye Salmon South Central Alaska Subclass Neopterygii Summer Teleost Teleostei United States Vertebrate biological biosphere chordate diadromous diadromy egg predation fish behavior fresh water freshwater in situ iteroparity iteroparous living lotic migratory naturalworld nature organism ovivore ovivory stream under fresh water underwater underwaterphoto wild wild char wild charr wild salmon
Rainbow Trout about to eat a loose egg as a female Chinook Salmon covers her redd
Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) about to eat a loose egg as a female Chinook Salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) covers her redd after spawning in Montana Creek near Talkeetna, Alaska.
Actinopterygii Alaska Alaska wild salmon Animal Biology Chinook Salmon Chordata Class Actinopterygii Ecology Infraclass Teleostei King Salmon Montana Creek Neopterygii Oncorhynchus mykiss Oncorhynchus tshawytscha Pacific salmon Pacific trout Phylum Chordata Rainbow Trout Salmonidae Salmoniformes Salmoninae Seacam underwater housing South Central Alaska Subclass Neopterygii Summer Susitna River Tributary Teleost Teleostei United States Vertebrate anadromous anadromy biological biosphere chordate diadromous diadromy egg predation fish behavior fresh water freshwater in situ iteroparity iteroparous living lotic migratory naturalworld nature near Talkeetna organism ovivore ovivory photographed under water semelparity semelparous stream under fresh water underwater underwaterphoto wild wild salmon wild trout
Predation action
A small sized Dolly Varden Charr (Salvelinus malma) nosing into gravel to feed on an egg as a female Chum Salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) makes a covering excavtion following spawning.
Actinopterygii Alaska Alaska wild salmon Animal Biology Chordata Chum Salmon Class Actinopterygii Dog Salmon Ecology Fish Hartney Creek Infraclass Teleostei Neopterygii Oncorhynchus keta Pacific salmon Phylum Chordata 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 egg predation fish behavior in situ living naturalworld nature near Cordova organism ovivore ovivory photographed under water spawning behavior underwater underwater photography underwaterphoto wild wild salmon
Glaucous-wing gull with salmon egg
Glaucous-wing gull (Larus glaucescens) with scavenged salmon egg in bill after scooping it from the stream.
Actinopterygii Alaska Animal Biology Bird Charadriiformes Chordata Class Actinopterygii Class Aves Coho Salmon Ecology Glaucouswinged Gull Infraclass Teleostei Laridae Larus glaucescens 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 biological biosphere chordate egg predation egg scavenging fish behavior gull in situ juvenile living naturalworld nature organism ovivore ovivory salmon habitat topside underwater underwaterphoto wild
American Dipper with Coho Salmon egg
American Dipper (Cinclus mexicanus) wading with Coho Salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) egg in bill after scavenging it from the bottom of an Alaska USA stream during autumn
Actinopterygii Alaska Alaska wild salmon American Dipper Animal Autumn Biology Bird Chordata Cinclidae Cinclus mexicanus Class Actinopterygii Class Aves Coho Salmon Ecology Infraclass Teleostei Neopterygii Oncorhynchus kisutch Pacific salmon Passeriformes Phylum Chordata Power Creek Salmonidae Salmoniformes Salmoninae Seacam underwater housing Silver Salmon South Central Alaska Subclass Neopterygii Teleost Teleostei United States Vertebrate Water Ouzel biological biosphere chordate egg egg scavenging in situ living lotic naturalworld nature near Cordova organism ovivore ovivory salmon habitat semelparity songbird stream topside underwater underwaterphoto wild wild salmon
Steller's Jay with a Sockeye Salmon egg.
Steller's Jay (Cyanocitta stelleri) with a Sockeye Salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) egg in a shallow Alaska stream. A decomposing spawned-out salmon is behind the jay.
Actinopterygii Alaska Alaska wild salmon Animal Biology Bird Chordata Class Actinopterygii Class Aves Corvidae Cyanocitta stelleri Infraclass Teleostei Neopterygii Oncorhynchus nerka Pacific salmon Passeriformes Phylum Chordata Red Salmon Salmonidae Salmoniformes Salmoninae Seacam underwater housing Sockeye Salmon South Central Alaska Steller's jay Subclass Neopterygii Summer Teleost Teleostei United States Vertebrate biological chordate egg living nature organism ovivore ovivory salmon habitat songbird topside underwaterphoto wild
Dolly Varden predating Sockeye Salmon eggs in a redd following spawning
Dolly Varden (Salvelinus malma) predating Sockeye Salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) eggs in a redd following spawning. The parental salmon are unable to stop them. Underwater view during summer in an Alaska stream.
Actinopterygii Alaska Alaska wild salmon Animal Biology Chordata Class Actinopterygii Dolly Varden Dolly Varden Char Dolly Varden Charr Dolly Varden Charr southern form Ecology Infraclass Teleostei Neopterygii Oncorhynchus nerka Pacific salmon Phylum Chordata Red Salmon Reproductive behavior Salmonidae Salmoniformes Salmoninae Salvelinus malma Salvelinus malma lordi Seacam underwater housing Sockeye Salmon South Central Alaska Subclass Neopterygii Summer Teleost Teleostei United States Vertebrate biological biosphere chordate courtship covering redd egg predation fish behavior in situ living naturalworld nature organism ovivore ovivory spawning behavior underwater underwaterphoto wild wild salmon
Dolly Varden predating Sockeye Salmon eggs in a redd following spawning
Dolly Varden (Salvelinus malma) predating Sockeye Salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) eggs in a redd following spawning. The parental salmon are unable to stop them. Underwater view during summer in an Alaska stream.
Actinopterygii Alaska Alaska wild salmon Animal Biology Chordata Class Actinopterygii Dolly Varden Dolly Varden Char Dolly Varden Charr Dolly Varden Charr southern form Ecology Infraclass Teleostei Neopterygii Oncorhynchus nerka Pacific salmon Phylum Chordata Red Salmon Reproductive behavior Salmonidae Salmoniformes Salmoninae Salvelinus malma Salvelinus malma lordi Seacam underwater housing Sockeye Salmon South Central Alaska Subclass Neopterygii Summer Teleost Teleostei United States Vertebrate biological biosphere chordate courtship covering redd egg predation fish behavior in situ living naturalworld nature organism ovivore ovivory spawning behavior underwater underwaterphoto wild wild salmon
Waiting for a meal
A Coastal Cutthroat Trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii clarkii) lurks beneath a Pink Salmon (O. gorbuscha) spawning pair antipating an easy meal of salmon eggs.
Actinopterygii Alaska Animal Biology Chordata Class Actinopterygii Coastal Cutthroat Trout Cordova Eccles Creek Ecology Humpback Salmon Infraclass Teleostei Neopterygii Oncorhynchus clarkii Oncorhynchus clarkii clarkii Oncorhynchus gorbuscha Pacific salmon Pacific trout Phylum Chordata Pink Salmon Prince William Sound Salmonidae Salmoniformes Salmoninae Seacam underwater housing South Central Alaska Subclass Neopterygii Teleost Teleostei United States Vertebrate biological biosphere chordate diadromous diadromy fresh water freshwater in situ iteroparity iteroparous living lotic migratory naturalworld nature organism searun stream under fresh water underwater underwaterphoto wild
Pink salmon egg ovivory by Coastal Cutthroat Trout and Dolly Varden
Ovivorous juveniie Coastal Cutthroat Trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii clarkii) and southern form Dolly Varden Charr (Salvelinus malma lordi) searching for Pink Salmon (Oncorhyncus gorbuscha) eggs imediately after spawning in an Alaska stream during the summer.
Actinopterygii Alaska Animal Biology Char Chordata Class Actinopterygii Coastal Cutthroat Trout Cordova Dolly Varden Dolly Varden Char Dolly Varden Charr Dolly Varden Charr southern form Eccles Creek Ecology Humpback Salmon Infraclass Teleostei Neopterygii Oncorhynchus clarkii Oncorhynchus clarkii clarkii Oncorhynchus gorbuscha Pacific salmon Pacific trout Phylum Chordata Pink Salmon Prince William Sound Reproductive behavior Salmonidae Salmoniformes Salmoninae Salvelinus malma Salvelinus malma lordi Seacam underwater housing South Central Alaska Subclass Neopterygii Summer Teleost Teleostei United States Vertebrate biological biosphere chordate courtship covering redd digging egg predation excavating false spawning fish behavior in situ living naturalworld nature organism ovivore ovivory spawning behavior underwater underwaterphoto wild
Pink salmon egg ovivory by Coastal Cutthroat Trout and Dolly Varden
Ovivorous juveniie Coastal Cutthroat Trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii clarkii) and southern form Dolly Varden Charr (Salvelinus malma lordi) searching for Pink Salmon (Oncorhyncus gorbuscha) eggs imediately after spawning in an Alaska stream during the summer.
Actinopterygii Alaska Animal Biology Char Chordata Class Actinopterygii Coastal Cutthroat Trout Cordova Dolly Varden Dolly Varden Char Dolly Varden Charr Dolly Varden Charr southern form Eccles Creek Ecology Humpback Salmon Infraclass Teleostei Neopterygii Oncorhynchus clarkii Oncorhynchus clarkii clarkii Oncorhynchus gorbuscha Pacific salmon Pacific trout Phylum Chordata Pink Salmon Prince William Sound Reproductive behavior Salmonidae Salmoniformes Salmoninae Salvelinus malma Salvelinus malma lordi Seacam underwater housing South Central Alaska Subclass Neopterygii Summer Teleost Teleostei United States Vertebrate biological biosphere chordate courtship covering redd digging egg predation excavating false spawning fish behavior in situ living naturalworld nature organism ovivore ovivory spawning behavior underwater underwaterphoto wild
Pink salmon egg ovivory by Dolly Varden
An ovivorous juveniie southern form Dolly Varden Charr (Salvelinus malma lordi) receives a shower of stream gravel from a female Pink Salmon (Oncorhyncus gorbuscha) attempting to cover her redd while the alpha male stands by in an Alaska stream during the summer.
Actinopterygii Alaska Animal Biology Char Chordata Class Actinopterygii Dolly Varden Dolly Varden Char Dolly Varden Charr Dolly Varden Charr southern form Ecology Humpback Salmon Infraclass Teleostei Neopterygii Oncorhynchus gorbuscha Pacific salmon Phylum Chordata Pink Salmon Reproductive behavior Salmonidae Salmoniformes Salmoninae Salvelinus malma Salvelinus malma lordi Seacam underwater housing South Central Alaska Subclass Neopterygii Summer Teleost Teleostei United States Vertebrate biological biosphere chordate courtship digging egg predation excavating fish behavior in situ living naturalworld nature organism ovivore ovivory spawning behavior underwater underwaterphoto wild
Pink salmon egg ovivory by Dolly Varden
Ovivorous juveniie southern form Dolly Varden Charr (Salvelinus malma lordi) searching for Pink Salmon (Oncorhyncus gorbuscha) eggs imediately after spawning in an Alaska stream during the summer.
Actinopterygii Alaska Animal Biology Char Chordata Class Actinopterygii Dolly Varden Dolly Varden Char Dolly Varden Charr Dolly Varden Charr southern form Ecology Humpback Salmon Infraclass Teleostei Neopterygii Oncorhynchus gorbuscha Pacific salmon Phylum Chordata Pink Salmon Reproductive behavior Salmonidae Salmoniformes Salmoninae Salvelinus malma Salvelinus malma lordi Seacam underwater housing South Central Alaska Subclass Neopterygii Summer Teleost Teleostei United States Vertebrate biological biosphere chordate courtship digging egg predation excavating fish behavior in situ living naturalworld nature organism ovivore ovivory spawning behavior underwater underwaterphoto wild