Bluegill

The Bluegill is a species of freshwater fish native to North America and lives in streams, rivers, lakes, and ponds. Bluegills can grow up to 12 in (30 cm) long and about 4.5 lb (2 kg). Fishermen are able to use polarized sunglasses to see through water and find bluegills' spawning beds. Bluegill have a rather bold character; many have no fear of humans, eating food dropped into the water, and a population in Canada's Lake Scugog will even allow themselves to be stroked by human observers. Bluegill are omnivores and will eat anything they can fit in their mouth. They mostly feed on small aquatic insects and fish. If food is scarce, Bluegill will also feed on aquatic vegetation and algae, and if scarce enough, will even feed on their own eggs or offspring. To capture prey, bluegills use a suction system in which they accelerate water into their mouth. Prey comes in with this water. Only a limited amount of water is able to be suctioned, so the fish must get within 0.7 in (1.8 cm) of the prey.