Which Pacific salmon species is known for turning red during spawning migration?

The sockeye salmon is the Pacific salmon species known for turning red during its spawning migration. While living in the ocean, sockeye usually have a blue-silver appearance; as they return to freshwater, their bodies become vivid red and their heads turn green.

This dramatic color change is part of the fish’s spawning transformation. Sockeye migrate from the North Pacific back to freshwater, often returning to the lake or river system where they began life. Their diet is primarily zooplankton while at sea, but they stop feeding once they enter freshwater for reproduction.

Sockeye are also called red salmon, a name that reflects their spawning colors. Pink, coho, and chinook salmon can also change appearance during spawning, so the question’s clue is not that sockeye are the only salmon to change color. They are the canonical answer because the red body and green head are especially characteristic of mature sockeye.