How long do western tanagers 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 Western Tanager 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.

Western tanagers usually start breeding at about 1 year old. Each season a pair lays 3–5 eggs and raises 1 per season, with eggs taking 13 days to hatch.

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

• Northern Cardinal28.5 years
• Black-headed Grosbeak25 years
• Rose-breasted Grosbeak24 years
• Painted Bunting12 years
• Scarlet Tanager11.9 years
• Indigo Bunting11 years

• Western Tanager: identification, diet and range
• Baby western tanagers: eggs, nestlings and fledglings