Longevity list

Longevity lists were in the 1970s compiled by W. Rydzewski and published several times in the journal THE RING. These lists were the basis for updated lists published by Roland Staav in EURING Newsletters in 1998 and 2001. The list has successively been updated during recent years, but there are still many recoveries of old birds hidden in the archives of the ringing schemes.

Birds ringed as full-grown or adults have been included with a minimum age based on age at ringing (start of year set to 1st of July) and in those recoveries are age preceded by a >.

The plan is to include the two oldest individuals of a species in the list and the minimum age for a recovery to be included is five years. Recoveries of birds in the list where ring number and details are not included are published in atlases by those schemes.

All schemes are kindly requested to support updates of this list. New longevity records (either oldest or second oldest) should be sent to the bird ringing centre at the Swedish Museum of Natural History in Stockholm by email.

Download the most recent version of the longevity list compiled in September 2023 here: Longevity list September 2023

 

 

Last updated:
Siskin
Carduelis spinus
Russian Federation
S 730968
13yrs 6mths
Controlled by ringer
GB & Ireland
C 674383
9yrs 9mths
Controlled by ringer
Linnet
Carduelis cannabina
France
1192972
9yrs 5mths
Found dead
GB & Ireland
AX 63464
8yrs 3mths
Found dead
Twite
Carduelis flavirostris
Denmark
>5yrs 6mths
Redpoll
Carduelis flammea
Denmark
12yrs 2mths
Finland
K-370978
10yrs 8mths
Shot
Crossbill
Loxia curvirostra
Czech Republic
RX 2233
>14yrs 3mths
Controlled by ringer
Sweden
YL 2605
>6yrs 10mths
Shot
Parrot Crossbill
Loxia pytyopsittacus
Sweden
YM 3015
>6 yrs 0mths
Controlled by ringer
Scarlet Rosefinch
Carpodacus erythrinus
Finland
P-81988
8yrs 11mths
Ring number read in the field
Sweden
2KB38178
>8yrs 11mths
Controlled by ringer
Bullfinch
Pyrrhula pyrrhula
Germany
8983918
>12yrs 7mths
Found dead
Sweden
3160625
>12yrs 6mths
Found dead
Hawfinch
Coccothraustes coccothraustes
Germany
7241335
>12yrs 7mths
Found dead
Germany
7174629
>10yrs 7mths
Found dead (road casualty)
Snow Bunting
Plectrophenax nivalis
Iceland
952718
9yrs 6mths
Controlled by ringer
GB & Ireland
VN 81690
9yrs 5mths
Controlled by ringer
Yellowhammer
Emberiza citrinella
GB & Ireland
JC 97236
>13yrs 3mths
Found dead
Germany
80438231
>13yrs 0mths
Killed by bird of prey
Ortolan Bunting
Emberiza hortulana
Switzerland
E 966705
>6yrs 10mths
Found dead (road casualty)
Norway
E 311117
>5yrs 10mths
Controlled by ringer
Yellow-breasted Bunting
Emberiza aureola
Finland
P-105089
7yrs 0mths
Controlled by ringer
Reed Bunting
Emberiza schoeniclus
Switzerland
A 220452
>12yrs 3mths
Controlled by ringer
The Netherlands
S 9774
>11yrs 3mths
Found dead
Corn Bunting
Miliaria calandra
Czech Republic
Z 289597
>10yrs 7mths
Controlled by ringer
Spain
Y 5823
9yrs 10mths
Shot

Pages