The Atlantic Croaker (Micropogonias undulatus) is a common member of the drum family (Sciaenidae) found along the Atlantic coast from Massachusetts to the Gulf of Mexico. This silvery-pinkish fish is a bottom-dwelling carnivore, using small barbels on its chin to feel for prey like worms and crustaceans in muddy or sandy substrates. The croaker is an abundant inshore species and holds an important position as a key forage species within the coastal food web. Its abundance, combined with its migratory and schooling behavior, makes the croaker a frequent target for a wide range of marine, avian, and human predators.
Predators of Juvenile Croaker in Estuaries
The early life stages of the Atlantic Croaker are spent in shallow, protected estuarine nursery grounds where they face intense predation pressure. After spawning offshore, the young drift into these brackish waters, remaining until they reach a size of about six to eight inches. This dense concentration of small fish attracts numerous opportunistic piscivores that inhabit the same low-salinity environment.
One of the most significant estuarine threats is the Summer Flounder (Paralichthys dentatus), an ambush predator that lies flat on the bottom to snatch passing young croakers. Spotted Seatrout (Cynoscion nebulosus) are common predators, utilizing their speed and sharp teeth to hunt the smaller croakers throughout the bay. Striped Bass (Morone saxatilis) heavily prey upon the young-of-the-year croaker, especially when juveniles move to deeper tidal rivers to overwinter. Bluefish (Pomatomus saltatrix) and larger individuals of the closely related Spot (Leiostomus xanthurus) also consume the new recruits.
Major Fish Predators of Adult Croaker
As croakers mature and migrate to deeper, more saline coastal waters and the continental shelf, they become prey for larger fish predators. The adult croaker, which can reach up to 24 inches, is a substantial meal for these apex hunters. Their habit of aggregating in schools and living close to the seabed makes them a predictable food source for powerful fish that patrol these offshore zones.
Coastal sharks are effective predators of adult croakers, with species like the Sandbar Shark (Carcharhinus plumbeus) including croaker in their diet. Sandbar Sharks are common in the Chesapeake Bay and other coastal environments, where they primarily consume small bony fishes. Blacktip Sharks (Carcharhinus limbatus) are also common predators, known to be fast-swimming piscivores that target schools of fish near estuaries and river mouths.
Large predatory fish like the Red Drum (Sciaenops ocellatus), particularly the large “bull reds” in deeper coastal areas, feed on bottom-dwelling fish, including adult croaker. Cobia (Rachycentron canadum), a fast-swimming, migratory predator, and various species of larger Groupers (Epinephelus and Mycteroperca species) also target croakers. Groupers are opportunistic suction feeders that consume a wide variety of fish and are among the top predators in reef and hard-bottom communities where adult croaker often congregate.
Non-Aquatic and Opportunistic Croaker Eaters
Predation on the Atlantic Croaker extends beyond the aquatic environment to include avian, mammalian, and human hunters. These predators often take advantage of the croaker’s movements or position near the water’s surface. Coastal Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) feed on schooling fish in the Mid-Atlantic, and croaker can be a component of their diet, especially when driven to the surface.
Diving birds target croakers when they are accessible in the upper water column or shallow areas. The Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) is a piscivorous raptor for which the Atlantic Croaker is a major prey item in some lower estuarine regions, using specialized feet to grasp fish caught by plunging into the water. Opportunistic scavengers like various Gulls and Terns also prey on smaller croakers, particularly those that are sick, injured, or near the surface.
Humans represent a significant form of predation through both commercial and recreational fishing. The Atlantic Croaker is a popular target for anglers and commercial trawlers, often caught using bottom rigs with bait like shrimp and squid.