Chum salmon typically spend the summer and fall spawning in the lower reaches of medium-sized coastal streams and rivers within 100 km of the ocean. They are the latest of the salmon species to enter rivers to spawn. In the shorter streams, Chum emerge from gravel spawning beds in the spring as fry and then move onwards directly to the sea, a migration that is accomplished in just a day or two. In larger river systems, the young remain in fresh water up to several months before heading for the ocean. Either way, most Chum spend two or three years – although some spend up to seven years – at sea before returning to their home streams to spawn. Spawning Chum salmon are easily recognizable by the dark purplish horizontal stripe running down their sides, the canine-like teeth of the large males and their checkerboard or calico colouration.