How long do crows and ravens live?

Most wild crows and ravens don’t even live a year. They die in the egg or as a young chick. (This is true for many animals — surviving in the wild can be tough.) If they survive their first year though, crows and ravens have a good chance for a long life. Most wild crows live about 7 to 10 years, with the oldest known crow living for 15½ years. Wild ravens live about 10 to 15 years.

Crows and ravens live longer in captivity. This is because they have a regular food supply and don’t have to cope with challenges such as predators or bad weather. The oldest captive crow died in 2006 at age 59. The record for a raven is 44 years. This raven was one that lived at the Tower of London. Six ravens are always kept at the Tower, cared for by the Royal Raven Master. Legend says that tragedy will befall the English royalty if the tower loses its ravens.