birds lifespan

[josara]

Hi, how long do common garden birds live, for example starlings and sparrows?

[Thunderbird+]

Hi josara,
I just had a quick look at the RSPB site and the maximum life-span is an amazing 12 years and 22 years respectivly

Check this out-
http://www.rspb.org.uk/birds/s/starling/index. asp

[Clanad]

Surprisingly, data seems to support Thunderbird's contention... however longer life spans appears to be related to bird size... Stanford University has a study that indicates "...The annual risk of being killed varies from about 70 percent in small temperate-zone songbirds (adult life expectancy about 10 months; in the tropics adult songbirds are thought to be much longer-lived) to 3 percent in Royal Albatrosses (fife expectancy slightly over 30 years). If a bird lasts long enough, however, the probability of it dying in a given year may once again rise. Common Terns reach old age after about 19 years, and their annual risk of dying then goes up." In the U.S., the ubiquitious Goldfinch rarely lives longer than 2 to 3 years, but exceptions have been seen to live as long as 7 years... (I expect the species erectus habilisThunderbirdus lives at least 90 years)

[josara]

thanks guys, I see from the link that my other little favourite, the blue tit, also can live 21 years, amazing!