While many of us are familiar with parrots, the common depictions of being a pirate’s companions in tales. Parrots are also common companions for many people around the world. Unlike owning a cat or dog, a parrot is a lot more complex and lives far longer than most other pets.

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It’s easy to see why these exotic birds are so appealing. To own a species that can only be found in the wilds of the Amazon rainforest is a great appeal. Parrots come in many sizes and colors, from small budgies with yellow bodies and black stripes to large rainbow-colored macaws.

On this page, we will have a quick look at the different lifespans of various pet birds. We’ll also have a look at how to improve a bird’s lifespan, giving your pet bird a long and healthy life. 

How long do macaws live?

Wild macaws, which are the largest of the parrot species, have an average lifespan of 60 years. The lifespan of macaw parrots can depend greatly upon their captivity. Macaws found in the wild can live even longer than macaws in captivity. Macaws that live in captivity will typically live between 35 and 50 years. The oldest recorded age of a macaw that lived in captivity was 112 years.

How long do amazon parrots live?

The Amazon parrot, which is medium-sized and has a shorter tail, can be found in the wilds of the Caribbean, Mexico, and South America. These popular pet birds typically live between the age of 40-70 years in captivity.

Lifespan of African grey parrot?

The African grey parrot is a popular bird, regularly kept as a pet. This parrot is known for its ability to “talk”, mimicking human voices. Kept in captivity, the African grey parrot can typically live between 40-60 years. Surprisingly, in the wild, the African grey parrot may only live for 25 years.

How long do budgies live?

Parakeets, budgerigars, more commonly known as budgies, are a smaller parrot species. These popular pet birds can be found in the wilds of Australia. In the wild budgies can live for up to 12 years, however, when in captivity these birds rarely make it to the age of 7, because of improper care.

How long do cockatoos live?

These are mostly medium-sized parrots, of which there are around 21 species, and can be found in the Australian, Indonesia rainforests. In captivity, these birds can live between 40 and 70 years (depending on how they are cared for). Cockatoos found in the wild have been known to live up to the age of 100 years.

How long do cockatiels live?

Another popular type of parrot that can be found in captivity is the cockatiel. These smaller parrots can be found in the wilds of Australia. Captive Cockatiels can live for around 15–25 years. The oldest cockatiel recorded was 36 years of age.

What affects a pet bird’s lifespan?

Like other pets, the lifespan of your pet bird will be influenced by how well they are cared for. A sad reality is that most pet birds aren’t provided the care needed. Nutrition is a big factor in affecting a bird’s lifespan. A lot of bird owners lack the knowledge of maintaining the right diet and nutrition. This lack of knowledge can lead to pet birds being fed foods that are high in fat, poor nutrition, a diet fed on mostly seeds (which leads to serious health problems).

Another big issue is the inappropriate housing used for pet birds, like parrots. Pet birds that are housed in small cages, without the freedom needed to get proper exercise, again leading to weight gain.

Another common problem is the lack of fresh air they need, which can lead to the bird having respiratory problems. Exposure to toxins in the air like cleaning products, smoke, and other chemicals.

As a lot of pet birds are kept indoors, resulting in poor lighting, which contributes to a lack of vitamin D3, that they would get in the wild.

It’s unsurprising that most pet birds won’t live as long, compared to wild birds. The combination of a poor diet, poor air quality, lack of natural sunlight, along with dealing with traumatic incidents that they wouldn’t suffer in the wild, all contribute to a shortened lifespan.

Helping your pet bird live longer

Owners can help their pet birds live longer than average domestic birds by providing a proper balanced nutritional diet. Letting your bird have more exercise is possible by moving them into large escape-proof cages, which will also allow them to get natural sunlight. Encouraging your pet bird to exercise more by letting it out of its cage for a few hours a day, letting them freely move around a safe room.

Always have consideration for your bird’s air quality by not smoking or using any form of spray around their enclosure.

It’s important to get your pet bird checked out regularly by your local vet to help reduce any potential health problems in the future.

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