How long do hummingbirds live?

The average lifespan for a hummingbird is only about three to four years. While most hummingbirds die in their first year, some have been known to survive for up to ten years or more.

Hummingbirds are the smallest species of bird and face many threats from predators and their environments. Baby hummingbirds are very vulnerable. These birds are smaller than a penny when they hatch and must remain in the nest for the first three weeks of their lives. The oldest known hummingbird was a Broad-Tailed Hummingbird that was captured and tagged at two different times in the span of 12 years.