Blueback herring range from Nova Scotia to northern Florida. The blueback herring in often and easily mistaken for an American or Hickory Shad. But they can be distinguished by the body that is not quite as laterally compressed.
The blueback herring and alewife are of similar shape and general appearance but are distinguishing by the smaller eye of the blueback herring. Just as the name implies, blueback herring often have blue backs.
Blueback herring feed on plankton, small fish fry and fish eggs.
Blueback herring are a schooling fish and live offshore during the winter and near shore starting in the late spring. They spawn in brackish or freshwaters of rivers.