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Size
4â8 cmAbout the length of a large thumb
Weight
0.5â4 gAbout the weight of a large grape
Lifespan
2â3 years
Rarity
Common
M vs F
Males develop bright red bellies and blue eyes in spring breeding season; females are olive-silver with a swollen belly when gravid
Habitat
Ponds, streams, ditches, coastal shallows, estuaries â one of the most adaptable freshwater fish in the UK
Best time
AprilâJuly for breeding colours and nest-building
Conservation
UK: Green
LC
💡 Did you know?
Male Sticklebacks build a nest from plant material, glued together with a kidney secretion â they then perform an elaborate zigzag courtship dance to lure females in
Sticklebacks have been studied intensively in evolutionary biology â isolated lake populations have independently evolved the same adaptations dozens of times, a textbook case of parallel evolution
Often confused with
Nine-spined Stickleback (more slender
9 spines on back â often in ponds)
Bullhead (much larger
flattened head)
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