Bairdiella: Facts & Habitat

About Bairdiella

Bairdiella are coastal croakers whose natural history extends into estuaries and river mouths.

Natural history

FishBase places Bairdiella icistia in the eastern Pacific from the Gulf of California to Guatemala. It is associated with the bottom in marine and brackish coastal water. Fish, small shrimp, and other crustaceans make up the diet summarized in its species account.

The Salton Sea population followed deliberate stocking, rather than representing a native inland distribution. USGS describes stocking to provide both sport fishing and prey for introduced orangemouth corvina. This history is important when interpreting an inland observation of an otherwise coastal fish.

Sources: Bairdiella icistia species summary; Bairdiella species profile

Guide sources

Research reviewed 2026-10-19.

Bairdiella icistia species summary — FishBase
Bairdiella species profile — U.S. Geological Survey

Native range

Marine. Pacific Coast south from Almejas Bay, east of Isla Santa Margarita, Baja California (Page and Burr 1991).

Introduction history

In 1950, 57 bairdiella were stocked in the Salton Sea, California; in 1951, an additional 10 fish were stocked (Walker et al. 1961). By 1953, millions were present. This species was introduced as a sport fish and as forage for another introduced sciaenid, the Orangemouth Corvina Cynoscion xanthulus (Walker et al. 1961).

Range

Where it lives

96.9%of mapped records

Share of 32 GBIF observation records with a state location, across 2 states.

Share of records by state

Habitat

Water and movement

Water: WoRMS records this species in brackish water and the sea.
USGS NAS habitat: Marine
US status: Exotic — the USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species database lists it as introduced from outside North America.

Classification

Taxonomy

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Superclass: Actinopterygii
Class: Teleostei
Order: Perciformes
Family: Sciaenidae
Genus: Bairdiella
Species: Bairdiella icistia
ITIS TSN: 169264
WoRMS AphiaID: 276071
GBIF key: 2400194

Common questions about Bairdiella

What is the scientific name of Bairdiella?

The scientific name is Bairdiella icistia, in the family Sciaenidae. Classification follows ITIS.

Does Bairdiella live in fresh water or salt water?

WoRMS records this species in brackish water and the sea.

Where has Bairdiella been recorded in the United States?

GBIF has observations in 2 states, with the most records in California, New Mexico. The map shows observation records, which do not establish the complete natural range.

Closest relatives