How long do yellow-headed blackbirds live?
The oldest Yellow-headed Blackbird on record lived to 18 years, a record from a bird of unrecorded origin. That is a ceiling, not an average: most wild yellow-headed blackbirds live only a few years.
- Longest recorded lifespan
- 18 years
- Record from
- Bird of unrecorded origin
- Age at first breeding
- About 10 months
- Eggs per clutch
- 2–6 eggs
- Broods per year
- 1 per season
- Size
- 8.3–10.2 in, 1.6–3.5 oz
- Rank in family (of species on this site)
- 3 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 Yellow-headed 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.
Yellow-headed blackbirds usually start breeding at about 10 months old. Each season a pair lays 2–6 eggs and raises 1 per season, with eggs taking 11–13 days to hatch.
How yellow-headed blackbirds compare with relatives
Oldest recorded ages for other blackbirds on this site.
- Common Grackle23.1 years
- Red-winged Blackbird20 years
- Orchard Oriole17.7 years
- Brown-headed Cowbird16.9 years
- Baltimore Oriole14 years
- Boat-tailed Grackle13.9 years
More about yellow-headed blackbirds
Frequently asked
How long do yellow-headed blackbirds live?
The longest-lived Yellow-headed Blackbird on record reached 18 years, recorded from a bird of unrecorded origin. Most wild yellow-headed blackbirds live far shorter lives, because the majority of young birds don't survive their first year.
How old is a Yellow-headed Blackbird when it first breeds?
Usually about 10 months old.
What is the oldest Yellow-headed Blackbird ever recorded?
18 years, according to the AnAge longevity database.
How many young can a Yellow-headed Blackbird raise in a year?
Pairs lay 2–6 eggs and raise 1 per season.
Source: AnAge, The Animal Ageing and Longevity Database (Human Ageing Genomic Resources), record quality "acceptable", sample size "medium". genomics.senescence.info