How long do red-winged blackbirds live?
The oldest Red-winged Blackbird on record lived to 20 years, a record from a bird of unrecorded origin. That is a ceiling, not an average: most wild red-winged blackbirds live only a few years.
- Longest recorded lifespan
- 20 years
- Record from
- Bird of unrecorded origin
- Age at first breeding
- About 1 year
- Eggs per clutch
- 2–4 eggs
- Broods per year
- 2–3 per season
- Size
- 6.7–9.1 in, 1.1–2.7 oz
- Rank in family (of species on this site)
- 2 of 14
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-winged Blackbird 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-winged blackbirds usually start breeding at about 1 year old. Each season a pair lays 2–4 eggs and raises 2–3 per season, with eggs taking 11–13 days to hatch.
How red-winged blackbirds compare with relatives
Oldest recorded ages for other blackbirds on this site.
- Common Grackle23.1 years
- Yellow-headed Blackbird18 years
- Orchard Oriole17.7 years
- Brown-headed Cowbird16.9 years
- Baltimore Oriole14 years
- Boat-tailed Grackle13.9 years
More about red-winged blackbirds
Frequently asked
How long do red-winged blackbirds live?
The longest-lived Red-winged Blackbird on record reached 20 years, recorded from a bird of unrecorded origin. Most wild red-winged blackbirds live far shorter lives, because the majority of young birds don't survive their first year.
How old is a Red-winged Blackbird when it first breeds?
Usually about 1 year old.
What is the oldest Red-winged Blackbird ever recorded?
20 years, according to the AnAge longevity database.
How many young can a Red-winged Blackbird raise in a year?
Pairs lay 2–4 eggs and raise 2–3 per season.
Source: AnAge, The Animal Ageing and Longevity Database (Human Ageing Genomic Resources), record quality "acceptable", sample size "medium". genomics.senescence.info