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Red Drum

Sciaenops ocellatus

Fish · family Sciaenidae · order Perciformes

  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.

Endangered Species Act
Not listed[1]
NatureServe global rank
G5 Secure[2]
Native in
8 states[3]
Longest recorded life
50 years[4]

Red Drum is a fish in the family Sciaenidae[5]. NatureServe ranks it Secure worldwide, and it is not listed under the US Endangered Species Act[2][1].

Conservation status

NatureServe gives Red Drum a global rank of G5, which it labels Secure[2]. The national rank for the United States is N5, also Secure[6]. The IUCN Red List category recorded by NatureServe is Least concern[7]. Red Drum is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act in the USFWS data checked on 2026-10-30[1].

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 Red Drum lives

NatureServe lists Red Drum as native in 8 states and territories: Alabama, Delaware, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Jersey, South Carolina and Texas[3]. It is listed as introduced, not native, in New Mexico[8]. GBIF has the most observation records in Texas, Louisiana, Florida, North Carolina and South Carolina[9]. Those counts follow how much people look and report, not how many fish live there[9].

Alaska: not recordedAKMaine: not recordedMEWisconsin: not recordedWIVermont: not recordedVTNew Hampshire: not recordedNHWashington: not recordedWAIdaho: not recordedIDMontana: not recordedMTNorth Dakota: not recordedNDMinnesota: not recordedMNIllinois: not recordedILMichigan: not recordedMINew York: not recordedNYMassachusetts: not recordedMAOregon: not recordedORNevada: not recordedNVWyoming: not recordedWYSouth Dakota: not recordedSDIowa: not recordedIAIndiana: not recordedINOhio: not recordedOHPennsylvania: not recordedPANew Jersey: native, state rank SNRNJConnecticut: not recordedCTRhode Island: not recordedRICalifornia: not recordedCAUtah: not recordedUTColorado: not recordedCONebraska: not recordedNEMissouri: not recordedMOKentucky: not recordedKYWest Virginia: not recordedWVVirginia: not recordedVAMaryland: not recordedMDDelaware: native, state rank SNRDEArizona: not recordedAZNew Mexico: introduced, state rank SNANMKansas: not recordedKSArkansas: not recordedARTennessee: not recordedTNNorth Carolina: not recordedNCSouth Carolina: native, state rank S3SCDistrict of Columbia: not recordedDCOklahoma: not recordedOKLouisiana: native, state rank S4LAMississippi: native, state rank S5MSAlabama: native, state rank S4ALGeorgia: native, state rank S5GAHawaii: not recordedHITexas: native, state rank S4TXFlorida: not recordedFLPuerto Rico: not recordedPR
State presence as recorded by NatureServe[10].
Show state ranks (9 states)
StateRankMeaning
AlabamaS4Apparently Secure
DelawareSNRNot Ranked
GeorgiaS5Secure
LouisianaS4Apparently Secure
MississippiS5Secure
New JerseySNRNot Ranked
New MexicoSNANot Applicable
South CarolinaS3Vulnerable
TexasS4Apparently Secure

Habitat

NatureServe records Red Drum in bays and sounds, river mouths and tidal rivers, lagoons, tidal flats and shores, and near-shore waters[11]. It lives in coastal and estuary waters, often over sandy bottoms, and it is often caught in the surf zone[12]. Young fish use estuaries as nurseries for 6 to 8 months[12]. It may also enter fresh water, and it spawns near passes, inlets and bays along the coast[12].

Habitat types recorded by NatureServe[11]

Size, diet and lifespan

Red Drum feeds on the bottom[13]. Young fish eat mostly copepods, amphipods and tiny shrimps[13]. Grown fish eat other fishes, crabs, shrimps and sand dollars[13]. NatureServe records a typical length of 155 cm (61 in)[14]. The longest recorded lifespan in AnAge is 50 years in the wild[4]. Females reach sexual maturity at 1,642 days of age in AnAge[15], while NatureServe notes maturity at 3 years[16].

Trait Value
Typical length[14] 155 cm (61 in)
Longest recorded lifespan (AnAge)[4] 50 years (wild)
Female maturity[15] 1,642 days (about 4.5 years)
Food habits[17] Piscivore, Invertivore

When to look for it

Red Drum spawns from September to February[16]. At 75 F, the eggs hatch after 19 to 20 hours[16]. On GBIF, most observation records in the United States fall in May, September and October[18]. These records show when people look and report, not how many fish are present[18].

January: 1,310 recordsJanFebruary: 1,434 recordsFebMarch: 1,429 recordsMarApril: 3,812 recordsAprMay: 4,420 recordsMayJune: 2,773 recordsJunJuly: 1,256 recordsJulAugust: 1,150 recordsAugSeptember: 4,150 recordsSepOctober: 5,439 recordsOctNovember: 3,726 recordsNovDecember: 1,768 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[18].
Show records by month
MonthRecords
January1,310
February1,434
March1,429
April3,812
May4,420
June2,773
July1,256
August1,150
September4,150
October5,439
November3,726
December1,768

Where to see it

National Park Service species lists record Red Drum as present in 13 park units[19]. Present means the park has a confirmed record, not that sightings are common.

States with the most GBIF observation records: Texas, Louisiana, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina[9]. These counts follow where people look and report, not population size.

Questions people ask

Is the Red Drum endangered?
NatureServe ranks it Secure globally and nationally[2][6], and it is not listed under the US Endangered Species Act[1].
Where does the Red Drum live?
NatureServe lists it as native in Alabama, Delaware, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Jersey, South Carolina and Texas[3]. It is listed as introduced in New Mexico[8].
What does the Red Drum eat?
Young fish eat mostly copepods, amphipods and tiny shrimps[13]. Grown fish eat other fishes, crabs, shrimps and sand dollars[13].
How big is the Red Drum?
NatureServe records a typical length of 155 cm (61 in)[14].
How long does the Red Drum live?
The longest recorded lifespan in AnAge is 50 years in the wild[4]. This is a record, not a typical lifespan[4].

Facts and sources

  1. Red Drum 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 Red Drum: G5 (Secure). NatureServe Explorer
  3. NatureServe lists Red Drum as native in 8 US states and territories: Alabama, Delaware, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Jersey, South Carolina, Texas. NatureServe Explorer
  4. Maximum recorded lifespan in AnAge: 50 years in the wild. This is a record, not a typical lifespan. AnAge
  5. Red Drum (Sciaenops ocellatus) is a fish in the family Sciaenidae, order Perciformes. 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 Red Drum as introduced (not native) in: New Mexico. NatureServe Explorer
  9. US states with the most GBIF observation records of Red Drum: Texas, Louisiana, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina. Record counts follow observer effort, not population size. GBIF
  10. NatureServe state ranks for Red Drum (map and table on this page). NatureServe Explorer
  11. Habitat types NatureServe records for Red Drum: Bay/sound, River mouth/tidal river, Lagoon, Tidal flat/shore, Near shore. NatureServe Explorer
  12. NatureServe notes on habitat for Red Drum. NatureServe Explorer
  13. NatureServe notes on food for Red Drum. NatureServe Explorer
  14. Typical length recorded by NatureServe: 155 cm (61 in). NatureServe Explorer
  15. Age at female sexual maturity in AnAge: 1,642 days (about 4.5 years). AnAge
  16. NatureServe notes on reproduction for Red Drum. NatureServe Explorer
  17. Adult food habits recorded by NatureServe: Piscivore, Invertivore. NatureServe Explorer
  18. GBIF observation records of Red Drum in the US by month (chart on this page). GBIF
  19. NPSpecies park lists recording Red Drum as present (list on this page). NPS NPSpecies

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.