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Bluegill

Lepomis macrochirus

Fish · family Centrarchidae · order Centrarchiformes

  1. G1
    Critically imperiled
  2. G2
    Imperiled
  3. G3
    Vulnerable
  4. G4
    Apparently secure
  5. G5
    Secure

NatureServe global rank G5: secure[2].

Updated October 30, 2026. Published by Humblebee.

Bluegill
Photo: Fredlyfish4, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Endangered Species Act
Not listed[1]
NatureServe global rank
G5 Secure[2]
Native in
30 states[3]
Longest recorded life
10 years[4]

The bluegill is a fish in the sunfish family, Centrarchidae[5]. NatureServe ranks it G5, which means Secure worldwide, and it is not listed under the US Endangered Species Act[2][1].

Conservation status

NatureServe gives the bluegill a global rank of G5 (Secure) and a national rank in the United States of N5 (Secure)[2][6]. The IUCN Red List category recorded by NatureServe is Least concern[7]. The bluegill is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act in USFWS data[1]. Not being listed under the ESA is a statement about the federal list only, and listings can change by federal rule.

Status Value
Endangered Species Act[1] Not listed
NatureServe global rank[2] G5 (Secure)
NatureServe US rank[6] N5 (Secure)
IUCN Red List (via NatureServe)[7] Least concern

Where Bluegill lives

NatureServe lists the bluegill as native in 30 US states and territories, including Alabama, Florida, Texas, Pennsylvania, Minnesota and Wisconsin[3]. It is listed as introduced, which means not native, in places including California, Oregon, Washington, Colorado and Arizona[8]. A state list shows where NatureServe records the fish. It is not a promise that you will see one there.

Alaska: not recordedAKMaine: not recordedMEWisconsin: native, state rank S5WIVermont: native, state rank S5VTNew Hampshire: introduced, state rank SNANHWashington: introduced, state rank SNAWAIdaho: introduced, state rank SNAIDMontana: introduced, state rank SNAMTNorth Dakota: native, state rank SNRNDMinnesota: native, state rank SNRMNIllinois: native, state rank S5ILMichigan: native, state rank S5MINew York: native, state rank S5NYMassachusetts: introduced, state rank SNAMAOregon: introduced, state rank SNAORNevada: introduced, state rank SNANVWyoming: introduced, state rank SNAWYSouth Dakota: native, state rank S5SDIowa: native, state rank S5IAIndiana: native, state rank S5INOhio: native, state rank S5OHPennsylvania: native, state rank S5PANew Jersey: introduced, state rank SNANJConnecticut: introduced, state rank SNACTRhode Island: introduced, state rank SNARICalifornia: introduced, state rank SNACAUtah: introduced, state rank SNAUTColorado: introduced, state rank SNACONebraska: native, state rank S5NEMissouri: native, state rank SNRMOKentucky: native, state rank S4KYWest Virginia: native, state rank S5WVVirginia: native, state rank S5VAMaryland: native, state rank SNAMDDelaware: introduced, state rank SNADEArizona: introduced, state rank SNAAZNew Mexico: introduced, state rank SNANMKansas: native, state rank S5KSArkansas: native, state rank S4ARTennessee: native, state rank S5TNNorth Carolina: native, state rank S5NCSouth Carolina: native, state rank S5SCDistrict of Columbia: introduced, state rank SNADCOklahoma: native, state rank SNROKLouisiana: native, state rank S5LAMississippi: native, state rank S5MSAlabama: native, state rank S5ALGeorgia: native, state rank S5GAHawaii: not recordedHITexas: native, state rank S5TXFlorida: native, state rank S5FLPuerto Rico: not recordedPR
State presence as recorded by NatureServe[9].
Show state ranks (48 states)
StateRankMeaning
AlabamaS5Secure
ArizonaSNANot Applicable
ArkansasS4Apparently Secure
CaliforniaSNANot Applicable
ColoradoSNANot Applicable
ConnecticutSNANot Applicable
DelawareSNANot Applicable
District of ColumbiaSNANot Applicable
FloridaS5Secure
GeorgiaS5Secure
IdahoSNANot Applicable
IllinoisS5Secure
IndianaS5Secure
IowaS5Secure
KansasS5Secure
KentuckyS4Apparently Secure
LouisianaS5Secure
MarylandSNANot Applicable
MassachusettsSNANot Applicable
MichiganS5Secure
MinnesotaSNRNot Ranked
MississippiS5Secure
MissouriSNRNot Ranked
MontanaSNANot Applicable
NebraskaS5Secure
NevadaSNANot Applicable
New HampshireSNANot Applicable
New JerseySNANot Applicable
New MexicoSNANot Applicable
New YorkS5Secure
North CarolinaS5Secure
North DakotaSNRNot Ranked
OhioS5Secure
OklahomaSNRNot Ranked
OregonSNANot Applicable
PennsylvaniaS5Secure
Rhode IslandSNANot Applicable
South CarolinaS5Secure
South DakotaS5Secure
TennesseeS5Secure
TexasS5Secure
UtahSNANot Applicable
VermontS5Secure
VirginiaS5Secure
WashingtonSNANot Applicable
West VirginiaS5Secure
WisconsinS5Secure
WyomingSNANot Applicable

Habitat

The bluegill lives in warm, shallow water such as lakes, reservoirs, ponds, swamps and slow rivers and streams[10]. NatureServe records habitat types that include forested wetland, creek, pool and shallow water[11]. The fish is often found near rooted water plants and over silt, sand or gravel bottoms[10]. It seldom goes much deeper than 16 feet (5 meters), and larger fish use more open water than smaller ones[10].

Habitat types recorded by NatureServe[11]

Size, diet and lifespan

NatureServe records the bluegill as an invertivore, which means an animal that mostly eats small animals without backbones, such as water insects[12]. Adults eat mainly water insects, crayfish and small fish, and in some waters mostly tiny floating animals called zooplankton[13]. The typical length recorded by NatureServe is 41 cm (16 in)[14]. Males build nests in shallow water and guard the eggs and hatchlings[10][15]. The eggs take only a few days to hatch[15]. The longest recorded lifespan is 10 years in the wild, and that is a record, not a typical lifespan[4].

Trait Value
Typical length[14] 41 cm (16 in)
Longest recorded lifespan (AnAge)[4] 10 years (wild)
Food habits[12] Invertivore
Migration[16] non-migrant

When to look for it

NatureServe describes the bluegill as a non-migrant, though populations can differ[16]. Spawning, which is egg laying, happens over an often long period in spring and summer[15]. On GBIF, most observation records in the United States fall in June, July and August[17]. These records show when people look and report, not how many fish there are[17].

January: 1,940 recordsJanFebruary: 2,602 recordsFebMarch: 5,802 recordsMarApril: 9,275 recordsAprMay: 12,948 recordsMayJune: 14,084 recordsJunJuly: 15,179 recordsJulAugust: 13,517 recordsAugSeptember: 10,251 recordsSepOctober: 8,552 recordsOctNovember: 3,848 recordsNovDecember: 3,305 recordsDec
US observation records on GBIF by month, all years. The three months with the most records are highlighted. Records show when people look and report, not how many animals there are[17].
Show records by month
MonthRecords
January1,940
February2,602
March5,802
April9,275
May12,948
June14,084
July15,179
August13,517
September10,251
October8,552
November3,848
December3,305

Where to see it

National Park Service species lists record Bluegill as present in 107 park units[18]. Present means the park has a confirmed record, not that sightings are common.

And 83 more park units.

States with the most GBIF observation records: Pennsylvania, Texas, Minnesota, Florida, Georgia[19]. These counts follow where people look and report, not population size.

Questions people ask

Is the bluegill endangered?
No. NatureServe ranks it G5 (Secure) and N5 (Secure) in the United States[2][6]. It is not listed as endangered or threatened under the ESA[1].
Where does the bluegill live?
NatureServe lists it as native in 30 US states and territories, including Alabama, Florida, Texas and Wisconsin[3]. It is introduced in places such as California, Oregon and Washington[8].
What does the bluegill eat?
Adults eat mainly water insects, crayfish and small fish, and in some waters mostly zooplankton[13]. NatureServe records it as an invertivore[12].
How big is a bluegill?
The typical length recorded by NatureServe is 41 cm (16 in)[14].
How long does a bluegill live?
The longest recorded lifespan is 10 years in the wild[4]. That is a record, not a typical lifespan.

Facts and sources

  1. Bluegill is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act in USFWS ECOS data (checked 2026-10-30). USFWS ECOS
  2. NatureServe global conservation status rank for Bluegill: G5 (Secure). NatureServe Explorer
  3. NatureServe lists Bluegill as native in 30 US states and territories: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska,... NatureServe Explorer
  4. Maximum recorded lifespan in AnAge: 10 years in the wild. This is a record, not a typical lifespan. AnAge
  5. Bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus) is a fish in the family Centrarchidae, order Centrarchiformes. NatureServe Explorer
  6. NatureServe national rank in the United States: N5 (Secure). NatureServe Explorer
  7. IUCN Red List category as recorded by NatureServe: Least concern. NatureServe Explorer
  8. NatureServe lists Bluegill as introduced (not native) in: Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Delaware, Idaho, Massachusetts, Montana, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, Rhode Island, Utah, Washington,... NatureServe Explorer
  9. NatureServe state ranks for Bluegill (map and table on this page). NatureServe Explorer
  10. NatureServe notes on habitat for Bluegill. NatureServe Explorer
  11. Habitat types NatureServe records for Bluegill: Forested wetland, Big river, Medium river, Creek, Low gradient, Pool, Shallow water. NatureServe Explorer
  12. Adult food habits recorded by NatureServe: Invertivore. NatureServe Explorer
  13. NatureServe notes on food for Bluegill. NatureServe Explorer
  14. Typical length recorded by NatureServe: 41 cm (16 in). NatureServe Explorer
  15. NatureServe notes on reproduction for Bluegill. NatureServe Explorer
  16. NatureServe migration category for Bluegill: non-migrant (populations can differ). NatureServe Explorer
  17. GBIF observation records of Bluegill in the US by month (chart on this page). GBIF
  18. NPSpecies park lists recording Bluegill as present (list on this page). NPS NPSpecies
  19. US states with the most GBIF observation records of Bluegill: Pennsylvania, Texas, Minnesota, Florida, Georgia. Record counts follow observer effort, not population size. GBIF

Status, range and habitat come from NatureServe Explorer (CC BY 4.0) and USFWS ECOS at the snapshot date. Listings change by federal rule. State lists are where NatureServe records the species, not a promise that you will see it there. Never name a place smaller than a state. GBIF and park records count observations and checklists. They show where and when people report the species, not how many animals live there.

NatureServe. 2026. NatureServe Explorer [web application]. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia. Available https://explorer.natureserve.org. (Accessed: October 30, 2026). Licensed under CC BY 4.0; SpeciesFacts selected and summarized it.

Photo: Fredlyfish4, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.