How Long Do American Robins Live?

American Robin (birds), the state bird of Connecticut, Michigan, and Wisconsin, named after the European robin because both birds have a red breast. The American robin is not actually related to the European robin—they’re not even in the same family! As a small bird, you might think that the American robin has a short lifespan, so how long does the American robin live?

The life of an American robin is full of dangers, and most of them do not live past their first year. Only 25 percent of American robins survive their first year. The average lifespan of an American robin in the wild is only two years, but the oldest recorded banded robin lived to be 13 years and 11 months old.

American robins have the potential to live a long time, provided they live past their first few years.

American robins, like their European friends, are small songbirds.American robin from the thrush family Tortoise Branch while the European robin is from the old world flycatcher family Flying Squirrels. However, while they are largely unrelated, they do have a lot in common.

Like many other small birds, American robins face a variety of threats that often shorten their lives. Read on to learn about American robin lifespan and life expectancy.

The average lifespan of an American robin is about two years

What is the typical lifespan of an American robin?

American robins are not long-lived birds, but that’s more a matter of chance than their biology. After all, the American robin is one of the most common backyard birds in the world, with a population of approximately 310 million – so they must be doing something right!

How long do American robins live in the wild?

If the American robin survives its first midwinter, its average life expectancy is about 1.7 years. The year-over-year survival rate is about 50%, so every year, you can pretty much flip a coin to see if the American robin survives.

It’s unlikely to find a robin in the wild more than 6 years old, but authoritative sources, including Audubon, highlight a case of a wild robin who lived 13 years and 11 months. The oldest evidence of the American robin can be found in the U.S. Geological Survey’s Bird Lifespan Database. The robin in question was tied up in California on January 11, 1962, and was found dead on May 26, 1975, about 14 years old considering his age when he was tied up.

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American Robin with a caterpillar in his mouth

How long do American robins live in captivity?

The same 1945 study above cites an American robin who reached 12.9 years of age in captivity – the true figure may be higher.

Various anecdotal reports mention ages 15 to 17 or more as possible, but there are really no reliable figures for how long American robins have lived in captivity.

Robins in captivity certainly seem to live longer (about 13.9 years) than in the wild. The main thing is that almost all robins in captivity have their first birthday, which is very unlikely to happen in the wild. As mentioned earlier, only 25% of wild robins survive their first winter.

How Did Most American Mockingbirds Die?

Only 40 percent of American robin nests successfully produce fledged chicks, and only 25 percent survive their first winter. Nests fail for various reasons, such as bad weather and predation. If there are juvenile birds in the nest, they will almost certainly all die when it fails.

Most robins die from hypothermia, predation and disease, including parasites. For example, one study found that about 77 percent of robins were infected with an internal parasite.

Close up of a teenage American Robin

What is the life cycle of the American robin?

American robin couples can produce up to three litters a year, which is necessary due to the low average survival rate. They lay only 3 to 5 eggs, fewer than many other songbirds.

• Incubation period: 12-14 days
• The fledgling period: 13 days
• fledgling: about 15 days later
• juvenile: 15 days to three months

American robins don’t usually live long, but by keeping three litters, the species itself is well maintained. In fact, according to some estimates, the number of American robins may be around 500 million, and their numbers are increasing in most regions. Despite the high mortality rate, robins as a species have excelled at surviving.

Recent fledgling American Robin chick

What are the natural enemies of the American robin?

American robins are preyed upon by a wide variety of predators, both on land and in the air. A Michigan study found that about 28 species of raptors prey on robins, including nearly all hawks, owls and falcons, and even eagles. Even tiny pygmy owls will prey on robins!

That doesn’t mean robins are an easy target—they’re actually quite reflexive. And they’re not alone in that—many of America’s small songbirds face the same threats as the American robin.

birds

• Crows, magpies, crows, bluejays, tiger jays and other crows
• falcon
• Owl; from pygmy owl to snowy owl
• Eagles; golden eagles and vultures

mammal

• squirrel
• raccoon
• fox
• dogs, wild and domestic
• Martens
• weasel
• cats, wild and domestic

reptile

• rat snake
• gopher snake
• snapping turtle

American robin perched on a holly tree

How big was the oldest recorded American robin?

Sources say the oldest wild robin was 13 years and 11 months old.

Finding the source of this information took some digging – it can be found in the US Geological Survey’s Bird Lifespan Database. The mockingbird was tied up in California on January 11, 1962, and found dead on May 26, 1975. Since it was tied up at an early age, it is about 14 years old.

There are various anecdotes about captive robins living longer – sometimes up to 17 years, but no real concrete evidence for this.

How long can an American robin live without eating?

Robins, like most birds, try to eat for most of the day. Baby robins need to eat every 15 minutes or so. Once grown, American robins will spend most of the day foraging. If they don’t eat for about 24 hours, they may become lethargic.

American robin singing, perched on a backyard fence

Can American Robins Survive the Winter?

The American robin breeds in the northern United States and Canada, all the way into some of the northernmost parts of Alaska. Some populations colonize and settle in the United States and Mexico, but those that breed further north always migrate.

In winter, they migrate across much of the United States to Mexico. While it’s easy to assume that robins migrate to warmer regions, they usually stop as soon as they find enough food.

It really depends on the subspecies – there are seven of them, and some are more hardy than others, such as the Northwest and Newfoundland robins that breed in Canada.

For more information on winter robins, check out this guide.

American robin perched on pole during snowstorm

In general, American robins can certainly withstand freezing temperatures and do so by puffing up their feathers. Even in frigid temperatures, a healthy robin’s internal body temperature is still around 104 degrees Fahrenheit (40 degrees Celsius). Their feathers are excellent insulators.

Some populations of American robins become increasingly gregarious during the winter, often sharing treetop roosts. Habitats may contain dozens or even hundreds of birds. Communal perches, essentially huddled together, help the robins maintain their body temperature.