How long do house sparrows live?
The oldest House Sparrow on record lived to 23 years, a record from a bird of unrecorded origin. That is a ceiling, not an average: most wild house sparrows live only a few years.
- Longest recorded lifespan
- 23 years
- Record from
- Bird of unrecorded origin
- Age at first breeding
- About 5 months
- Eggs per clutch
- 4–6 eggs
- Broods per year
- 2–4 per season
- Size
- 5.9–6.7 in, 0.9–1.1 oz
- Rank in family (of species on this site)
- 1 of 2
Record age versus typical age
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 House Sparrow can survive to, not what most do.
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.
House sparrows usually start breeding at about 5 months old. Each season a pair lays 4–6 eggs and raises 2–4 per season, with eggs taking 10–14 days to hatch.
How house sparrows compare with relatives
Oldest recorded ages for other old world sparrows on this site.
- Eurasian Tree Sparrow13.1 years
More about house sparrows
Frequently asked
How long do house sparrows live?
The longest-lived House Sparrow on record reached 23 years, recorded from a bird of unrecorded origin. Most wild house sparrows live far shorter lives, because the majority of young birds don't survive their first year.
How old is a House Sparrow when it first breeds?
Usually about 5 months old.
What is the oldest House Sparrow ever recorded?
23 years, according to the AnAge longevity database.
How many young can a House Sparrow raise in a year?
Pairs lay 4–6 eggs and raise 2–4 per season.
Source: AnAge, The Animal Ageing and Longevity Database (Human Ageing Genomic Resources), record quality "acceptable", sample size "medium". genomics.senescence.info