How long do red-bellied woodpeckers live?
The oldest Red-bellied Woodpecker on record lived to 20.7 years, a record from a bird of unrecorded origin. That is a ceiling, not an average: most wild red-bellied woodpeckers live only a few years.
- Longest recorded lifespan
- 20.7 years
- Record from
- Bird of unrecorded origin
- Age at first breeding
- About 1 year
- Eggs per clutch
- 4–5 eggs
- Broods per year
- 1–3 per season
- Size
- 9–10.5 in, 2–3.2 oz
- Rank in family (of species on this site)
- 1 of 7
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 Red-bellied Woodpecker 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.
Red-bellied woodpeckers usually start breeding at about 1 year old. Each season a pair lays 4–5 eggs and raises 1–3 per season, with eggs taking 12 days to hatch.
How red-bellied woodpeckers compare with relatives
Oldest recorded ages for other woodpeckers on this site.
- Acorn Woodpecker17.2 years
- Pileated Woodpecker13 years
- Northern Flicker12.5 years
- Gila Woodpecker11 years
- Red-headed Woodpecker10 years
- Yellow-bellied Sapsucker7.8 years
More about red-bellied woodpeckers
Frequently asked
How long do red-bellied woodpeckers live?
The longest-lived Red-bellied Woodpecker on record reached 20.7 years, recorded from a bird of unrecorded origin. Most wild red-bellied woodpeckers live far shorter lives, because the majority of young birds don't survive their first year.
How old is a Red-bellied Woodpecker when it first breeds?
Usually about 1 year old.
What is the oldest Red-bellied Woodpecker ever recorded?
20.7 years, according to the AnAge longevity database.
How many young can a Red-bellied Woodpecker raise in a year?
Pairs lay 4–5 eggs and raise 1–3 per season.
Source: AnAge, The Animal Ageing and Longevity Database (Human Ageing Genomic Resources), record quality "acceptable", sample size "medium". genomics.senescence.info