RRBO age records

Age records

These are some longevity records from our banding studies. Only birds with at least two years between captures are included in the table, and only one or two birds of each species are noted. An (*) indicates that the bird was recaptured or recovered dead away from campus.
The minimum age for each bird is given as Time Between Captures. Actual ages are greater, and can be estimated by examining the Age at Banding. L = Local, or a bird just out of the nest; SY = Second year, or a bird that was born the previous nesting season; AHY = After Hatching Year, or a bird that was born no later than the previous nesting season (perhaps older). For example, the time between captures is the most accurate reflection of age for a bird first banded as Local, while a bird first banded as AHY is a minimum of 5 or 6 months older than time between captures.

Species Original date Age at banding Recovery date Time bet. captures

*Mourning Dove 5 May 1974 Unknown 30 Sep 1977 3 y, 4 m

Eastern Screech-Owl 23 Oct 1984 Unknown 20 May 1987 2 y, 7 m

Downy Woodpecker 20 Aug 1998 L 7 May 2002 3 y, 9 m

Hairy Woodpecker 2 Jun 1983 AHY 22 May 1995 11 y, 11 m

Red-eyed Vireo 17 Aug 1995 AHY 16 May 2000 4 y, 9 m

*Blue Jay 2 Apr 1973 AHY 1 May 1979 6 y, 1 m

Black-capped Chickadee 12 Aug 1992 Unknown 25 Oct 1998 6 y, 2 m

Wood Thrush 30 May 1995 AHY 6 May 2003 8 y

American Robin 28 Apr 1998 SY 26 May 2004 6 y, 1 m

Gray Catbird 23 Aug 1983 AHY 10 May 1991 7 y, 8 m

Gray Catbird 15 Jun 1999 AHY 16 May 2005 6 y, 11 m

*American Tree Sparrow 1 Dec 1972 Unknown 22 Nov 1977 4 y, 11 m

Song Sparrow 7 Oct 1992 AHY 17 Apr 1996 3 y, 6 m

White-throated Sparrow 23 Oct 1998 AHY 4 Nov 2001 3 y, 1 m

*Dark-eyed Junco 7 Apr 1995 AHY 29 Mar 1998 2 y, 11 m

Northern Cardinal 13 May 1994 AHY 9 Feb 2002 7 y, 9 m

Northern Cardinal 5 Oct 1999 AHY 23 Apr 2007 7 y, 6 m

Rose-breasted Grosbeak 10 May 1993 AHY 20 May 1997 4 y

*Indigo Bunting 13 May 1995 SY 6 Jun 1997 2 y, 1 m

Red-winged Blackbird 22 Apr 1998 SY 14 Apr 2003 5 y

Brown-headed Cowbird 20 Jun 1979 AHY 2 Jun 1983 4 y

Baltimore Oriole 6 Jul 1998 SY 15 Aug 2000 2 y, 1 m

*American Goldfinch 30 Oct 1997 AHY 27 May 2004 6 y, 7 m

Check out other species in North America at the Bird Banding Lab's longevity web site.

Please note: All data is provisional and not to be cited without permission.

Rouge River Bird Observatory,

Environmental Interpretive Center., University of Michigan-Dearborn,
Dearborn, MI 48128

Created 21 Nov 2003
Last updated 5 Nov 2007

Species	Original date	Age at banding	Recovery date	Time bet. captures
*Mourning Dove	5 May 1974	Unknown	30 Sep 1977	3 y, 4 m
Eastern Screech-Owl	23 Oct 1984	Unknown	20 May 1987	2 y, 7 m
Downy Woodpecker	20 Aug 1998	L	7 May 2002	3 y, 9 m
Hairy Woodpecker	2 Jun 1983	AHY	22 May 1995	11 y, 11 m
Red-eyed Vireo	17 Aug 1995	AHY	16 May 2000	4 y, 9 m
*Blue Jay	2 Apr 1973	AHY	1 May 1979	6 y, 1 m
Black-capped Chickadee	12 Aug 1992	Unknown	25 Oct 1998	6 y, 2 m
Wood Thrush	30 May 1995	AHY	6 May 2003	8 y
American Robin	28 Apr 1998	SY	26 May 2004	6 y, 1 m
Gray Catbird	23 Aug 1983	AHY	10 May 1991	7 y, 8 m
Gray Catbird	15 Jun 1999	AHY	16 May 2005	6 y, 11 m
*American Tree Sparrow	1 Dec 1972	Unknown	22 Nov 1977	4 y, 11 m
Song Sparrow	7 Oct 1992	AHY	17 Apr 1996	3 y, 6 m
White-throated Sparrow	23 Oct 1998	AHY	4 Nov 2001	3 y, 1 m
*Dark-eyed Junco	7 Apr 1995	AHY	29 Mar 1998	2 y, 11 m
Northern Cardinal	13 May 1994	AHY	9 Feb 2002	7 y, 9 m
Northern Cardinal	5 Oct 1999	AHY	23 Apr 2007	7 y, 6 m
Rose-breasted Grosbeak	10 May 1993	AHY	20 May 1997	4 y
*Indigo Bunting	13 May 1995	SY	6 Jun 1997	2 y, 1 m
Red-winged Blackbird	22 Apr 1998	SY	14 Apr 2003	5 y
Brown-headed Cowbird	20 Jun 1979	AHY	2 Jun 1983	4 y
Baltimore Oriole	6 Jul 1998	SY	15 Aug 2000	2 y, 1 m
*American Goldfinch	30 Oct 1997	AHY	27 May 2004	6 y, 7 m