How Long Do Cardinals Live?

There are three species of cardinals in the genus Cardinal Finch and six genera Paroria. The most common of these is the Northern Cardinal (cardinal), gained worldwide recognition as the red bird in the Angry Birds game series, and is the state bird of no fewer than seven states!

Cardinals are quirky and popular little birds that are common throughout the Americas, so how long do cardinals live?

The average lifespan of a cardinal is about three years, but many birds do not survive the fledgling stage. In fact, about 40% to 60% of northern red nest nests fail, meaning that all immature chicks die. To compensate for their lower chick survival rates, cardinals brood up to four broods a year, and the birds only need ten days or so to fled.

The outlier here is the desert cardinal, with an average lifespan of about 6 to 8 years—much longer than most other cardinals. Cardinals of the genus Paroaria have the same short lifespan as the red-crowned cardinal.

Although the average lifespan of a cardinal is short, in some cases they can live to over ten years. Many wild cardinals have been reported to live longer than a decade. A female Northern Cardinal in Pennsylvania who is at least 15 years and 9 months old.

Read on to discover more about the lifespan of this much-loved bird!

On average, Northern Cardinals live 2 to 3 years

What is the typical lifespan for a Cardinal?

The average lifespan of a cardinal is about three years, with the exception of the desert cardinal, which usually lives longer at about 5 to 8 years.

How Long Do Cardinals Live In The Wild?

A lifespan of 3 years is relatively short for a bird of this size, but high chick mortality means most cardinals don’t survive until fledgling. About 60 percent of northern red nest nests fail, which usually means that any chicks die. Some studies show that nest failure rates are even higher, around 85%.

Some cardinals went on to live longer, but only about 60 percent year-over-year. Some wild cardinals have been found to live to be around 10 years old.

lifespan of a cardinal

• Red-crowned Cardinal: 3 to 6 years; the oldest record was about 13 years in prison
• Red-topped Bishop: 3 to 6 years old
• Northern Cardinals: 2 to 3 years; record oldest 15 years and 9 months
• Pyrrhuloxia (Desert Cardinal): 6 to 8 years old
• Scarlet Cardinal: 3 to 4 years

Male (right) and female (left) northern cardinals perched on a tree

Why Do Desert Cardinals Live Longer?

Desert Cardinals live primarily in Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, and Mexico. They seem to live longer than other species of cardinals; averaging about eight years in the wild.

One of the reasons for the longer lifespan is thought to be that desert cardinals have fewer predators in their specialized arid environment.

Desert Cardinal or Pyrrhuloxia (Cardinalis sinuatus)

How long was the cardinal imprisoned?

Cardinals have been reported to live much longer in captivity. There are many accounts that the oldest cardinal imprisoned lived to be 28½, but there is little information to support this claim.

This seems possible given that a cardinal reaches at least 15.9 years in the wild, but there’s really no way to say how old a captive cardinal will live to.

How Do Most Cardinals Die?

As many as 60% to 85% of the primary nests fail, meaning any chicks die before they can feather. Infant mortality is high, so only about half of cardinal chicks make it to adulthood. The challenges for the Cardinals don’t stop there — their year-over-year survival rate is only around 60%.

Most cardinal nests fail due to poor weather conditions or predation. The cardinal’s main natural enemies include:

• snake
• eagles
• eagles
• falcon
• bluejays and other crows
• Shrike
• owl
• squirrel
• chipmunk
• skunk
• cat
• fox

Cardinals are also at risk of dehydration and starvation, as well as disease, parasites and other types of infections. Many cardinals have been involved in road crashes.

male northern cardinal calling

What is the life cycle of a cardinal?

Cardinals have multiple broods a year, sometimes as many as four, and have a relatively quick life cycle:

• Average hatch: 11 to 13 days
• fledgling: 20 to 25 days after first egg laying, or 10 to 12 days after hatching
• juvenile: 6 months to 1 year
• Adulthood: More than 1 year

Eclosion here is quick – cardinals leave the nest in as little as 12 days after hatching.

What are the cardinal’s natural enemies?

Cardinals are relatively small birds, and their bright red plumage isn’t exactly discrete or camouflaged! As such, they face a myriad of risks both on land and in the air.

reptiles and amphibians

• Milk snakes, pythons, and other small to medium snakes
• snapping turtle

birds

• Long-eared and Eastern Screech Owl
• Eagle from the genus Accipiter
• eagles
• falcon
• Corvids such as magpies, bluebirds, and crows
• Shrike

mammal

• cat
• fox
• raccoon
• squirrel
• skunk
• chipmunk

Female northern cardinal perched on a tree

How old was the oldest cardinal?

• The oldest cardinals are reported to be a 15-month-old and a 9-month-old female in Pennsylvania.
• The oldest captive cardinal is often quoted as being 28.5 years old, but little information supports this or provides context.

How long can a cardinal live without eating?

Many birds prefer to eat daily, and some spend most of their time hunting or foraging.Like other medium-sized songbirds, cardinals can Usually only survives about 48 hours without food. If they are not fed daily, they may become lethargic very quickly.

northern cardinals in winter

How do cardinals survive the winter?

The northern cardinal extends from as far north as southeastern Canada, Maine, Minnesota, and other northern U.S. states to as far south as Texas, Mexico, and Central America. They are well adapted to cold weather and some have bushy plumage. The main subspecies found further north tend to be larger and heavier.

Cardinals can also concentrate warm blood around vital organs and the core, which helps them stay warm. They roost together, huddling together to share warmth. Although cardinals don’t migrate, they fly inland in winter, and those that nest in the mountains return to lower elevations.

Other species of cardinals found in Central and South America don’t need to do much to keep warm in winter because they only experience wet and mild winter conditions.