Identification
The body is compressed from side to side, with moderately large eyes and an oblique mouth lacking barbels. The back is olive and the sides silvery, sometimes showing dark crescent marks. Breeding males develop a dark blue head and a pink flush over the body and fins.
Habitat and Food
Schools often occupy midwater in moderately clear streams, including pools near gravel or rocky areas. Feeding occurs in midwater and at the surface. Insects are prominent foods, with smaller amounts of crustaceans, fish and plant material also recorded.
Spawning
Missouri accounts describe spawning from late April into early June. Fish may use Creek Chub nests or shallow gravel pits made by male shiners. Several males can share a nesting area while competing with one another. The regional breeding calendar should not be applied unchanged across the species’ broad northern range.
Compare With Striped Shiner
These close relatives can look very similar. Back markings, chin pigmentation, breeding condition and locality deserve attention before naming a silvery school.
All Lakes With Common Shiner
Browse all lakes and reservoirs with confirmed Common Shiner records in our database, listed alphabetically.
Showing 1–24 of 748 lakes · Page 1 of 32
- Abbot Lake Kalkaska, MI
- Aitkin Lake Aitkin, MN
- Albert Lea Lake Freeborn, MN
- Alger Lake Lake, MN
- Amelia Lake Pope, MN
- Andrusia Lake Beltrami, MN
- Armstrong Lake St. Louis, MN
- Arrowhead Lake Crow Wing, MN
- Ash Lake St. Louis, MN
- Aspen Lake Cook, MN
- Assinika Lake Cook, MN
- Baby Lake Cass, MN
- Ball Club Lake Itasca, MN
- Bantam River Reservoir Northwest Hills, CT
- Barkhamsted Reservoir Northwest Hills, CT
- Barrs Lake St. Louis, MN
- Bashan Lake Lower Connecticut River Valley, CT
- Bass Lake Menominee, MI
- Bass Lake Cass, MN
- Bass Lake St. Louis, MN
- Bass Lake Todd, MN
- Bassett Lake St. Louis, MN
- Battle Lake Itasca, MN
- Battle Lake Koochiching, MN