How long do parrots live?

Parrots are birds with a wide diversity of species, with 259 different species comprising different parts of the world. Not only, but they also have different and beautiful species; with such a wide range of diversity, they have different shapes, sizes, and lifespans too. Some are so small that your hand is enough to cover them. Some are so big that they are equal to a home cat. So How long do parrots live?

Birds that are kept as pets, in particular, have a very long-ranged lifespan. Any bird owner who plans to have a bird should be aware of the fact that these beautiful creatures live for quite a time. Therefore they have to be mentally prepared for the responsibility. With your pet’s long life, you also have to take care of their food and all other stuff.

How long do parrots live? On an average

Apart from other pet bird species, parrots are a bit different and quite fascinating too. These birds can develop a strong bond with you and may want to live their lives with you. Sometimes they may win from you in the race of life.

As compared to their life in the wild, they live more and longer with their owners. In the wild, they have many dangers, including weather, predators, and many more. How long do parrots live? They also get more care and attention in the captivation; therefore, they are less likely to develop any diseases. But that does not mean that they do not have any fear of developing infections or illnesses, either bacterial or viral in captivation.

The general rule of thumb:

Remember a general thing that the bigger a bird is, a longer life it will have and vice versa.

Below are some examples of parrots and their lifespans they can live up to, of course, they will live up to the years mentioned below only if they are kept in ideal conditions. But that’s not universal. Some pets may survive more than the years listed below. This list is going to inform you about How long do parrots live? In different countries or states.

Grey parrots (African): 40-60 years and maybe more.
Amazon parrots: they have a wide range of lifespan; 25-75 years.
Parakeets: 6-18 years.
Caiques: can live for 50 years.
Canaries: they can live for ten years.
Cockatiels: They can make up to 10-15 years.
Cockatoos: Minimum 20 years- Maximum 70 years.
Counties: 20-30 years at their best; however, lifespan can vary depending upon the species.
Doves: They live for 20 years in captivation, but in the wild, they can’t make it that long and can only live for about 1.5 years.
Eclectus parrots: Minimum 30 and maximum 50 years and may some more.
Finches: 5-9 years but may live some more years if they are kept in the proper aviary.
Lorikeets: 30 years at their best
Love birds: they only live for 10 – 15 years.

Why do birds live so long?

As compared to the size of their body, birds live a much longer life than any other animal, mainly when we talk about other mammals. As we know that the respiratory and the circulatory system of the birds always work effectively and very fast, they also have a higher metabolic rate than mammals.

Their body contains higher amounts of resting glucose; therefore, they should have a decreased lifespan rather than a longer lifespan. So, how long do parrots live?

As the parrots live for so long, they surely have developed some coping mechanisms that have prevented aging in them. Let’s explore these mechanisms.

Parrots Flying:

Research has clearly shown that the birds who can fly live a longer life as compared to those who cannot fly. Flying means rigorous exercise that prevents aging and helps the birds to live some more years. Due to increased requirements of energy for operating by the birds, they still manage not to age Why?

The fact is birds can manage the oxidative damage that occurs in the DNA of their Mitochondria. Due to flying daily, they live more, so How long do parrots live? By this, we mean that birds have lower amounts of ROS, reactive parts of the oxygen that damage membrane, and cause them to age.

But birds have developed mechanisms to reduce these damages, and also they face less loss by the process of oxidation. That is why parrots and macaws live much longer lives. Mainly, the macaws make the maximum of their lives and can survive four times more than the expectations.

How can one say that parrots are old now?

There are several factors associated with the aging of the parrots. Tumors are the main thing that has been observed in aging birds, particularly budgerigars. In parrots, eye conditions like cataracts, deformation of the retina are common. Also, as parrots age, they may become lethargic and can suffer from osteoarthritis too.

Diseases of the liver and kidneys also accompany the parrots as they age. Along with the kidney problems, gout can occur too, as organs do not function adequately so that the uric acid stones can build up in the feet of older parrots. Diseases result in lowering the lifespan of parrots. So, How long do parrots live? Read this whole article to know different facts.

The average lifespan of parrots

Whenever you bring a pet parrot into your home, you may not be aware of it, but parrots live as long as you. The lifespan of the birds is much dependent upon the species. However, be mentally prepared to have a friendly companion for a long time.

The lifespan of parrots can depend on several factors, including:

Lifespans and size of the parrots:

Parrots are not only a single species of the birds. Instead, they consist of 25o different species of parrots. So learn this thing: if you buy a parrot of considerable size, it will live a long life, for example, Macaw. On the other hand, smaller parrots like love birds have a shorter lifespan. Larger parrots have a lifespan of 40 years, while smaller species can live a maximum of 20 years.

Parrots Species:

Different species of the parrots have varying lifespans; for example, a renowned pet parrot called African Grey is famous for its remarkable speaking abilities; they can live for about 40 years.

The amazon parrots, which also include a variety of species including yellow and blue head amazon parrots can live for 50 years. Macaws, which is also a larger bird species, can live for 50 years too.

A lot of people are asking this question: How long do parrots live? Most children love to play with them. They are friendly and energetic.

Parrots Other factors:

When kept as pets, parrots live a much longer life than the parrots that live in the wild habitat. Because there are lesser chances of them being exposed to dangers, injuries, and predators, your parrot will live a good life if you manage them to provide an excellent and spacious cage, which is enough for the parrot to move freely. Here are some other factors related to How long do parrots live?

It can open its wings without any hindrance. Also, if you provide your parrot with a proper diet and clean cage, it will become capable of resisting a lot of diseases lengthening its lifespan.

Genetics also play a role in determining the life span of parrots. Therefore it is necessary to buy pets from breeders that have a good reputation.

Do parrots live for 100 years?

To determine the life expectancy and the age of birds is a challenging task to do. But we are also aware that the size has a close relationship in determining the life span of the birds. A giant bird will have a longer lifespan than a bird, which is smaller. Titmice, chickadees, and wrens live a relatively short life.

Birds can surely live for more than 60 years. We can give you some prominent examples of the birds that can live for more than 60 years, including Albatrosses, parrots, vultures, and eagles. The longevity of birds’ lives should not be shocking because they are strictly related to long-living amphibians and reptiles.

How long do parrots live as pets?

Parrots that live in captivation live a much longer life than the parrots that live in the wild habitat. In the wild, parrots are very dangerous, like predators, a fall from the tree, diseases, and much more. On the other hand, when kept in captivation, they enjoy all the care and attention they need from their owners; hence they live for a more extended period.

We will prove this fact by giving some examples, and a cockatoo once lived for more than 80 years in a zoo. Geese of Captive Canada can live for more than 30 years. Similarly, sparrows and cardinals that are found in the Northern area can live for 22-23 years. While in the natural environment, they won’t live that much.

How long do talking parrots live?

Most parrots have a longer lifespan even more than their owners, therefore, be prepared for a long time commitment. Small caged birds do not live a long life, but some like parrots may live even more than 20 years. Some parrots talk too, and they do live a long life also, below are some examples :

African grey Parrot lifespan:

As far as taking is concerned, African Grey parrots are on the top list. Besides their fluent talk, they can also live a longer lifespan of almost 65 years.

Amazon parrots lifespan:

These are beautiful parrots with a melodious voice. They are famous for their songs. They can have a remarkable life of 80-100 years.

Cockatoos parrot lifespan:

Cockatoos are great talkers, too, instead of being great screamers. Wild cockatoos live for 40 years, but in captivity, they can live twice.

Macaws Parrots lifespan:

Macaws are beautiful parrots with such unique and diverse color combinations. If you want to have a Macaw that is a fair talker, look for a blue and golden Macaw. Small macaws can live for 20 years, whereas the more abundant species can live for 40 years.

How long do parrots live in the wild?

In the wild, parrots do not live a longer life. Why? Because they face a lot of dangers regularly. Quest for food, predators, weather harshness, migration, etc. These all factors add up to the decrease in the lifespan of parrots in the wild.

On the other hand, when parrots are kept captivated, they enjoy all the facilities, proper diet, and care, and they do not have to face the harshness of the weather too. Therefore, in the wild, parrots cannot have a longer lifespan.

How long do parrots live in human years?

You probably have listened about the conversion of a dog’s age to a human year for better understanding. Depending upon the species of the parrots, their life duration varies greatly. Therefore, we can just say that larger species live more than smaller ones.

You will be amazed to know that much larger parrot species age at a rate that is much similar to a human adult body. It clearly explains that as we reach our youth and then old age, birds age at the same pattern. To indicate the lifespan of smaller species is not as easy because their life expectancy is much shorter than the larger ones. Some of these species are Quaker parrots, cockatiels, and lovebirds. These smaller species of birds have almost 20-30 years of life.

So how long do parrots live? A human on an average can live for 80 years; therefore, a cockatoo which has a life expectancy of 20 years. So if a cockatoo is ten years old, we can say that she/he is 40 years old in human years. On the other hand, humans become adults at the age of 18, but in parrots and other birds, this process starts very early. They become an adult at the age of 1. Adulthood is necessary for better survival and to reproduce new offspring before dying. So you can divide a parrot’s life into three phases:

Birth to adulthood phase

Adulthood with few health issues

Adulthood declining and the aging phases

How long can parrots live without water?

Like humans, a bird’s body also consists of 75% of water. Therefore, they have to drink water frequently many times a day. Strangely, parrots can survive without food, but they cannot go for long without water. Water is their utmost need. Parrots can live only for three days without water; otherwise, they will die due to dehydration. However, the water needs are much dependent upon the size of the parrot and also the weather.

How long do african grey parrots live?

African grey parrots are amazing talkers, and they have a longer lifespan in captivation. Being pets, and with proper care, diet and food, African grey parrots can live for 40-60 years. On the other hand, in the wild, these parrots do not enjoy such a good quality of life, and they are also exposed to several threats. Therefore, they live a shorter life in the wild, almost 23 years.

How long do Australian parrots live?

Australian parrots, also known as budgerigars, also have a longer lifespan in captivity. They do live for almost 5-8 years in the wild, but when kept as pets, they do live for 10 – 15 years. Their lifespan is greatly affected by diet and exercise, genetics, and lineage.