How Long Do Parrots Live and Lifespan of 12 Different Parrot Species

There is often speculation about parrots and their life expectancies. As a result of this, many have pondered, “how long do parrots live?”

First of all, parrots are renowned for being pets in households all over the world. They are birds from the order- Psittaciformes, which has 398 species in 92 genera and is predominantly found in tropical and subtropical areas. 

Parrots are spectacular creatures and it is for this reason that many humans desire to domesticate them. One of the many things that set parrots apart is their intelligence.

Parrots are extremely intelligent birds and they are revered for their cognitive abilities. This quality enables parrots to solve problems as well as draw conclusions.

Some other interesting facts about parrots are that they don’t require much grooming; feeding them isn’t costly and they have a long life span.

However, you should remember that how you take care of the parrot determines the parrot lifespan. But not to worry, we will share more details about this.

What is the Lifespan of Parrots?

Do you know that parrots often live longer than their owners? This is because they tend to live longer when they are in captivity rather than when they are free in the wild.

Although, some people believe that when a parrot is in the wild it is in its natural habitat and will live longer because it has the means to fly free for miles, eat the plants or fruits they are meant to eat, and get enough exercise.

However, one has to consider that when they are in the wild, they are likely to encounter predators or fall into danger of some kind.

Thus, they are likely to live longer in captivity thanks to various perks like access to advanced levels of veterinary care.

Since there are various species of parrots, there are varying lifespans of parrots. In other words, parrot life expectancy is dependent on the breed of parrot in particular.

Here are different types of parrots and their estimated lifespans:

1. Cockatoo Parrot

It has a lifespan of 40-50 years. Cockatoo parrots are known for their highly sociable nature.

2. Lineolated Parakeet parrot

These types of parrots have a lifespan of 10-15 years. They have a natural call that is soft and almost song-like.

3. Conure Parrot

A parrot from the Conure family can live for some 25-30 years on average. They are also categorized as medium sized parrots.

4. Senegal Parrot

The Senegal Parrot is known to live for roughly 25-30 years on average. They are mostly famous for their calm temperament and quiet nature.

5. Eclectus Parrot

It has a life expectancy of 30 years when kept in captivity. Their feathers are known to have a fur-like appearance.

6. African Grey Parrot

African grey parrots have a life expectancy 40-60 years in captivity. They are known for their ability to talk and mimic sounds.

7. Amazon Parrot

An Amazon Parrot has a lifespan of 60 years when well-cared-for in captivity. They are known to be highly intelligent and have a playful streak.

8. Blue & Gold Macaws

Blue & Gold Macaws are known to have a lifespan between 30-35 years as pets.

9. Green Wing Macaw

Green Wing Macaws are known as one of the largest of the Macaw species. These parrots can reach some 50-60 years of age.

10. Indian Redneck

Indian Redneck parrots are known to be quite talkative. They can live for up to 25-35 years.

11. Caique Parrot

Caique Parrots are known for their bright colors. The estimated average lifespan of a Caique Parrot is 50 years.

12. Cockatiel Parrot

Cocktail parrots are popular household pets. They have an average lifespan of 5-18years.

What factors can affect the lifespan of parrots?

To own a parrot is one thing, and to ensure it is well taken care of is another. There are various factors that can affect the lifespan of parrots, and these are breed, diet, environment and socialization.

Breed

It is said that the size of the parrot has a major effect on the lifespan of a parrot. This means that the larger a parrot is, the longer it tends to live.

Larger parrots have a longer lifespan than the smaller ones; this is why large Macaws, can live for up to and more than 100 years.

Environment

When a parrot is in an environment that is protected from attacks from predators, it is more likely to have a longer lifespan.

In the situation where a parrot owner does a proper job of adequately caring for the pet parrot, it will likely have a longer lifespan.

Socialization

Pet parrots require good socialization or it is likely to self-mutilate or suffer some other mental issues if it is neglected and not interacted with. Poor socialization will cause them to waste away.

Diet

Just as human beings require a healthy and good diet to stay alive, so do parrots. If a parrot isn’t fed well enough, it is more likely to die.

For pet parrot owners, it is paramount that they are properly fed at the right time. A poor parrot diet can lead to heart attacks.

A veterinarian has better knowledge of how best to feed a pet parrot.

How can you help your parrot live longer?

Any pet owner can achieve this by taking proper care of the parrot.

This can be achieved by ensuring it has a good diet (contact a veterinarian for more in-depth details about a parrot’s diet) and does enough exercise.

Parrots love the attention, thus they mustn’t be neglected because they need lots of socialization.

Also, always make sure they are kept in a safe environment and ensure they have an avian veterinarian.

Why can parrots live for so long?

Parrots can live for so long and even outlive their owners if they are larger, and also because they have a higher metabolic rate, body temperature, and a higher resting glucose.

Although these factors are expected to lead to shortened lives, it is believed that they have evolved and possess special mechanisms that protect them from a quicker age process.

Parrots have lower level of oxidative damage which can mean they have a strategy for lessening damage. Many experts speculate that these parameters play a part in their ability to live long.

Also, there is evidence that flying mammals tend to live longer than non-flying mammals because they are better suited to escape from predators.

How long can parrots live as pets?

In some cases, pet parrots outlive parrots in the wild and in some other cases it’s the other way round.

The determining factors include how large the parrot is, its breed, its diet, its environment, its level of exercise, the ability of the owner etc.

If a pet parrot has access to the various factors mentioned above, it would likely live a very long life.

Large Macaw parrots can live for 50-75 years.

What is the relationship between the size of a parrot and its lifespan?

In nature, in general, smaller sized mammals are more likely to have a shorter life span than larger ones. Another factor is their metabolism.

Smaller parrots are more likely to become hot or cold much faster than bigger parrots. Thus, smaller birds are likely to overheat or freeze more quickly.

These are just a few reasons, will probably never be just one answer.

Here are some famous old parrots:

Cookie was a Cockatoo in the United States that lived for 83 years. She was a popular parrot in Chicagoland’s zoo, known for his adorable antics.

She became the world’s oldest parrot according to the Guinness Book of records of 2014. Poncho, a Green Winged Macaw, lived for 92 years in the US. She was owned by Pet and Exotics.

Charlie, a blue and gold Macaw beats these two parrots as it lived for 114 years. Charlie was Winston Churchill’s pet parrot.

Conclusion

If owners are truly committed to the wellbeing of their pet parrots, it is almost fully guaranteed that such parrots will live a long life.

This is why learning as much as possible about how to care for a parrot, and also applying what is learnt is very important to determine how long a parrot can live.