Sardines, Sprats, Sardinillas & Pilchards: What's the Difference?
Sardines, sprats, sardinillas and pilchards can all occupy the same shelf in a good conservas shop, and at first glance they can look remarkably similar. They are all small, oily fish with silver sides, rich flavour and plenty of culinary possibilities. But they aren't all the same fish.
There is also a fair amount of confusion around the names. Sardines and sprats are different species, although they belong to the same fish family and have similar appearances and flavour profiles. Sardinillas, meanwhile, are small, young sardines, while pilchard is generally a common name used for sardines rather than a separate species.
And then there are anchovies, which look similar enough to cause even more confusion but are actually a quite different fish.
So, what's the difference?
Sardines
The European sardine is Sardina pilchardus, a small, oily fish belonging to the herring family, Clupeidae. It is found around the eastern Atlantic, from northern waters down towards North Africa, as well as throughout the Mediterranean.
European sardines generally have a more substantial, rounded body than sprats, with silvery sides and a blue-green back. They are commonly around 15–20 cm long, although larger fish occur.
In conservas, sardines are particularly prized for their rich, oily flesh. They are commonly preserved in olive oil, tomato sauce or other seasoned preparations. Good sardines have a satisfying combination of firm texture, richness and the characteristic savoury flavour of oily fish.
Portugal, Spain and France are particularly associated with sardine conservas, with long-established canning traditions along the Atlantic coast.
Sprats
Sprats are not small sardines. They are a different fish: Sprattus sprattus, also a member of the herring family.
They are generally smaller and more slender than European sardines, with a more sharply keeled belly. European sprats are found across parts of the North Atlantic, North Sea and Baltic Sea, and are particularly associated with northern European fisheries.
Sprats are commonly around 10–15 cm, although their size varies by population. Their smaller size makes them particularly well suited to whole-fish preparations and traditional smoking.
You'll also see sprats described as Brisling Sprats or simply brisling, particularly in Scandinavian and Baltic seafood traditions.
In the tin, sprats and sardines can look surprisingly similar. Both are oily, silver-skinned fish with a rich, savoury flavour. Sprats can have a slightly more delicate texture and, particularly when smoked, a deeper and more pronounced flavour.
Sardinillas
Sardinillas is a Spanish term generally used for small sardines. The important point is that sardinilla isn't a separate species of fish.
Instead, it refers to smaller sardines, particularly those used for canning. In the context of Spanish conservas, you'll often see tins labelled sardinillas when the producer is using smaller examples of the sardine.
This is where things can get confusing: a tin of sardinillas can look quite different from a tin containing larger sardines, even though you're essentially looking at the same species.
The smaller fish tend to have a more delicate appearance and can be particularly attractive when packed whole in a tin.
The term is especially common in Spain and Portugal, where small sardines have a long history in the conservas tradition.
Pilchards
Pilchard is another common name for sardines, rather than a completely different type of fish.
In the case of the European sardine, Sardina pilchardus is the scientific name, while "pilchard" has long been used as a common name for sardines, particularly larger sardines or in certain regional and commercial contexts.
Australian Sardines: A Different Species
If you've tried Australian sardines, you'll notice that they can look a little different from the European sardines found in Portuguese, Spanish or French conservas.
That's because Australian sardines are Sardinops sagax, rather than Sardina pilchardus.
The Australian sardine is found in temperate waters around Australia and is an important commercial species, particularly in South Australia. Australian fisheries authorities list Sardinops sagax as the scientific name and also record pilchard, blue pilchard and bluebait among its common names.
This is the species used by Little Tin Co. for its Port Lincoln sardines. Their tins are made in Australia using Australian sardines from the South Australian sardine fishery, and the product is specifically identified as Sardinops sagax.
So when you open a tin of Little Tin Co. Australian sardines alongside a Portuguese or Spanish sardine, you're not necessarily looking at the same species. They're both sardines in the everyday sense, but they belong to different species.
And that is one of the interesting things about the word "sardine": commercially and culturally it can refer to several related small pelagic fish species. The international Codex standard for canned sardines and sardine-type products recognises a number of different species that may be used for products sold under the sardine category.
Sardines vs Sprats: How Do They Actually Taste?
Despite being different species, sardines and sprats have plenty in common.
Both are small, oily fish, and both have the rich, savoury flavour that makes them so good in conservas. Their flavour can vary considerably depending on the species, where the fish was caught, the season, whether it has been smoked and what it has been packed with.
Generally speaking:
Sardines | Sprats | |
Scientific name | Sardina pilchardus | Sprattus sprattus |
Family | Clupeidae | Clupeidae |
Typical size | Larger | Smaller |
Body | More robust and rounded | Slender with a keeled belly |
Flavour | Rich, oily, savoury | Rich, oily, often slightly more delicate |
Common preparations | Olive oil, tomato, sauces | Smoked, oil-packed |
Major regions | Atlantic Europe, Mediterranean | North Atlantic, North Sea, Baltic |
Conservas tradition | Spain, Portugal, France | Scandinavia, Baltic and northern Europe |
What About Anchovies?
This is another common point of confusion.
Anchovies are not sardines or sprats.
The European anchovy is Engraulis encrasicolus, from the anchovy family Engraulidae rather than the herring family Clupeidae. They are generally much more slender, with a noticeably longer upper jaw and a more pointed head.
Anchovies also behave differently in the kitchen.
Fresh anchovies are relatively delicate, but the salt-curing process used for conservas-style anchovies transforms them, producing the intensely savoury, salty and umami-rich flavour that makes cured anchovies so distinctive.
That's why a tin or jar of Cantabrian anchovies tastes so different from a tin of sardines, even though both are small oily fish.
A useful rule of thumb:
Sardines and sprats: related fish, broadly similar flavour family.
Anchovies: different family, different fish, much more intense when cured.
Where Do They Come From?
Geography is another useful way of understanding the differences.
🇪🇸 🇵🇹 🇫🇷 European Sardines
The European sardine (Sardina pilchardus) is strongly associated with the Atlantic coast of Spain, Portugal and France, as well as the Mediterranean.
This is the fish behind many of the classic Iberian and French sardine conservas that have made their way around the world.
🇩🇰 🇸🇪 🇱🇻 Sprats
European sprats (Sprattus sprattus) are much more associated with northern European waters, including the North Sea and Baltic Sea.
Scandinavian and Baltic producers have traditionally smoked and preserved these small fish, which is where you'll often encounter the term brisling.
🇦🇺 Australian Sardines
Australia's sardine is Sardinops sagax. It is found around Australia's temperate southern waters and supports important fisheries, particularly in South Australia.
🇪🇸 Sardinillas
Sardinillas are particularly associated with Spanish and Portuguese conservas, where smaller sardines are selected for particular presentations and tins.
Are Sardines and Sprats Good for You?
Both are nutritious oily fish and can make an excellent addition to a varied diet.
Sardines and sprats can provide:
High-quality protein
Omega-3 fatty acids
Vitamin B12
Vitamin D
Selenium
Calcium, particularly when the edible bones are included
Because they are small fish, sardines and sprats are also relatively low on the marine food chain.
The exact nutritional profile varies according to species, size, season and, importantly, how the fish is prepared and packed. Sardines packed in olive oil, for example, will have a different nutritional profile from smoked sprats or sardines packed in tomato sauce.
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