How long do black-headed grosbeaks live?

Longevity records come from birds that were marked and later found again, usually through bird banding, or from birds kept in zoos. They show what a Black-headed Grosbeak can survive to, not what most do. This one comes from captivity, where there are no predators, storms or food shortages, so wild black-headed grosbeaks rarely come close.

For small birds, the first year is the hardest. Many eggs and nestlings are lost to predators and weather, and young birds that leave the nest still have to learn to find food and avoid hawks and cats. A bird that survives its first winter has a much better chance of living several more years. That is why average lifespans in the wild are short even when the record is long.

Black-headed grosbeaks usually start breeding at about 1 year old. Each season a pair lays 2–5 eggs and raises 1 per season, with eggs taking 12–14 days to hatch.

Oldest recorded ages for other cardinals and allies on this site.

• Northern Cardinal28.5 years
• Rose-breasted Grosbeak24 years
• Western Tanager15.3 years
• Painted Bunting12 years
• Scarlet Tanager11.9 years
• Indigo Bunting11 years

• Black-headed Grosbeak: identification, diet and range
• Baby black-headed grosbeaks: eggs, nestlings and fledglings