How long do snow buntings live?
The oldest Snow Bunting on record lived to 10.2 years, a record from a wild bird. That is a ceiling, not an average: most wild snow buntings live only a few years.
- Longest recorded lifespan
- 10.2 years
- Record from
- Wild bird
- Age at first breeding
- About 1 year
- Eggs per clutch
- 2–7 eggs
- Broods per year
- 1–2 per season
- Size
- 5.9 in, 1.1–1.6 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 Snow Bunting 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.
Snow buntings usually start breeding at about 1 year old. Each season a pair lays 2–7 eggs and raises 1–2 per season, with eggs taking 10–16 days to hatch.
How snow buntings compare with relatives
Oldest recorded ages for other longspurs and snow buntings on this site.
- Lapland Longspur6 years
More about snow buntings
Frequently asked
How long do snow buntings live?
The longest-lived Snow Bunting on record reached 10.2 years, recorded from a wild bird. Most wild snow buntings live far shorter lives, because the majority of young birds don't survive their first year.
How old is a Snow Bunting when it first breeds?
Usually about 1 year old.
What is the oldest Snow Bunting ever recorded?
10.2 years, according to the AnAge longevity database.
How many young can a Snow Bunting raise in a year?
Pairs lay 2–7 eggs and raise 1–2 per season.
Source: AnAge, The Animal Ageing and Longevity Database (Human Ageing Genomic Resources), record quality "acceptable", sample size "large". genomics.senescence.info