What dietary category describes the feeding habits of mature, larger yellow perch?
Answer
Piscivorous, consuming smaller forage fish
As yellow perch grow from juvenile size, where they consume invertebrates and zooplankton, they undergo a significant shift in their feeding strategy, becoming highly opportunistic predators. Mature, larger yellow perch adopt a decidedly piscivorous diet, meaning their primary food source becomes other fish. This predatory diet heavily features smaller species like minnows, shiners, and darters. This flexibility, allowing them to switch to whatever abundant food source is available, is a major factor contributing to their successful colonization of diverse aquatic habitats, making them both a crucial predator and competitor.
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