How long do parakeets live: With proper care, some breeds of parakeets can live up to 30-35 years, and these are the largest breeds like the conure and Alexandrine parakeets.
Smaller breeds can live a long time compared to other birds and mammals and can live up to 30-35 years.
Still, this doesn’t mean that wild parakeets and parrots have a shorter lifespan. On the contrary, some wild parakeets and parrots live longer in the wild than their congeners in captivity, and this is mainly due to the absence of one or more of the factors listed above, or simply because their owner has not respected the fundamentals of care and health to raise their parakeet and parrot.
The lifespan of 105 breeds of Parakeet and parrots
Unlike many other mammals and birds, Parakeet or parrots live much longer. And this is one of the main characteristics of pet parakeets or parrots: their long lifespan, whether in captivity or in the wild. However, parakeets and parrots live longer in captivity thanks to veterinary care, the absence of predators, and the abundance of food.
What is the average lifespan of parakeets and parrots?
Some parakeet or parrots can outlive their owner, while others have a shorter life expectancy. And it depends on many factors mentioned earlier. However, the most important factor is the breed of the parakeet and parrot. Large breeds of parakeets and parrots tend to live longer than small breeds. Another important factor is the parakeet and parrot’s mental health, and yes, parakeets and parrots can have and suffer from mental ailment problems. In fact, most parrots are prone to developing these types of problems.
Apart from that, the parakeet and parrot family includes more than 250 species, and each species has its own life expectancy. You will find in this list, the most popular breeds.
Parakeet lifespan
Parakeet lifespan
All you need to know about parakeet lifespan
Parakeets
As pets, there are two different types of budgies. American and English parakeets look alike and also have the same life expectancy, which can reach 8 years in the wild, and 15-20 years in captivity.
Conures
Conures are a really charming and friendly family of parakeets. However, there are about 15 subtypes that are known as pets. They are:
Race | Average service life observed |
Green-cheeked Parakeet | up to 25 years |
Jenday Parakeet | 25-30 years |
Sun Parakeet | 15-30 years |
White-eyed Parakeet | 25-30 years |
Conure Queen of Bavaria | up to 30 years |
Red-masked parakeet | up to 50 years |
Nanday Parakeet | up to 30 years |
Patagonian Parakeet | up to 30 years |
Half-moon Parakeet | 24-30 years |
Mitred Parakeet | 20-30 years |
Southern Parakeet | 30 years and older |
Red-headed Parakeet | 35-40 years |
Blue-crowned Parakeet | 20-30 years |
Golden-headed Parakeet | 20-30 years |
White-fronted Parakeet | 20-30 years |
Quakers
The Quaker is a small family of parrots with 4 recognized subtypes. There are no noticeable differences between them, and the only thing could be the place of origin of each subtype. This breed and with proper care can live up to 30 years. And if you have a Quaker parrot, I recommend reading an article I wrote about how to increase the lifespan of your Quaker or any other parakeet.
The Lovebird
The lovebird is a very large family of parrots with more than 30 subtypes, while the pet lovebird can be limited to 9 breeds with different lifespans, and they are.. :
Race | Expected lifespan |
Lovebird with pink face or peach face | 12-15 years |
A black mask or yellow collar | 15 years and older |
Fischer’s lovebird | 12-15 years |
Lovebird from Nyasa or Lilian | 10-20 years |
Black-cheeked Lovebird | up to 19 years |
Lovebird with black or Abyssinian wings | 20-30 years |
Lovebird from Madagascar or grey-headed | 10-20 years |
Lovebird red-faced | 19-24 years |
Lovebird with black collar or Lovebird from Swindon | 10-15 years |
Lorikeets
The lorikeet is a large family of parrots that has more than 50 subtypes. Yes, not all of these types are kept as pets. However, there are 12 subtypes of lorikeets that are known as pets and they are. :
Race | Expected service life |
Black Lori | 18 years |
Black-headed Lori | up to 25 years |
Black-winged Lori | up to 30 years |
Blue-tailed lory | 15-30 years |
Cardinal Lory | 25-23 years |
Lori from Duivenbode | 18 years |
Lori by Edward | 28-32 years |
Lori rainbow | 10-15 years |
Red Lori | 20-28 years |
Purple-necked Lori | up to 15 years |
Yellow-backed talkative Lori | 30 years and older |
Yellowtail lory | up to 20 years |
Collared parrots
The collared parrot is a family that has about 14 subtypes, and each subtype has its own subtypes. And if we count all the subtypes of the subtypes, the total could be more than 50. However, not all of them are known as pets. The most popular types of the Ring-Nickels family are:
Race | Expected service life |
Parakeets of Alexandria | up to 30 years |
Indian ringnecks | up to 30 years |
Whisked Parakeets / Mustaches / Java | up to 25 years |
Plum-headed parakeets aka Plumheads | 10-18 years |
Pink ring parakeets | 25-30 years |
Grey-headed parakeets | 15-25 years |
Parakeet lifespan
Parrot lifespan
All you need to know about parrot lifespan
Parrots
The parrot is a family of about 18 species of small parrots that can reach a size of about 15 cm. This breed is similar to Quaker parrots, but the two are not related. Parrots can live 15-20 years as pets, but their lifespan is much shorter in nature.
Kakapo parrot
The kakapo is a species of flightless parrot native to New Zealand and is one of the friendliest parrots there is. And this personality trait put them in danger of extinction. However, the efforts of the New Zealand government have saved the species after reaching a total population of less than 50 wild individuals.
There is no pet kakapo these days, but in the past, when Europeans arrived in New Zealand, these parrots were treated as pets, and more often as prey. And it is these reasons that have made them an endangered species.
The kakapo can live between 40 and 80 years in the wild.
Macaw
The macaw is a large family of parrot species, and each subtype in the macaw family has its own life expectancy, and in most cases, the hyacinth macaw lives longer than other macaw breeds, and it can reach 60-70 years in captivity due to the proper care they are supposed to receive. In the wild, the blue hyacinth macaws parrot can live 50 years.
Smaller macaw breeds have a shorter lifespan. The Hahn’s macaw with a lifespan of 30 years, and the mini macaw which can live up to 25 years are just two examples.
Here are 14 other types of macaws:
Race | Average service life observed |
Red Macaw | 50-70 years |
Ara de Spix | 50-70 years |
Blue and yellow macaw | up to 70 years |
Red and green macaw | 20-60 years |
Red-winged macaw | 25-40 years |
Military Macaw | 50-60 years |
Blue-throated macaw | up to 80 years |
Rufous-fronted macaw | 30-80 years |
Large Green Macaw | 50-60 years |
Blue-winged macaw | up to 60 years |
Ara de Lear | 30-50 years |
Rufous-fronted macaw | 25-50 years |
Golden-collared macaw | up to 50 years |
Red-bellied macaw | 30-40 years |
Blue-headed macaw | 30-40 years |
Cuban Macaw | up to 40 years |
African Grey
The most popular type of parrot is the African gray. This breed has a lifespan of 23 years on average in the wild. In captivity, it can be significantly increased with proper care to reach between 50 and 70 years.
In fact, the African gray species has 2 subtypes, the Congo African gray, and the Timneh African gray, which live between 40 and 60 years in captivity.
Cockatoo
The cockatoo is a large family of parrots that includes about 20 subtypes. Each type has its own characteristics and lifespan:
Race | Average service life observed |
Yellow-tailed black cockatoo | up to 50 years |
Yellow-crested cockatoo | 20-40 years |
White-crested cockatoo | 40-60 years |
Western Corella | 25-30 years |
Sulfur-crested cockatoo | 20-40 years |
Baudin’s black cockatoo | 25-50 years |
Blue-eyed cockatoo | up to 50 years |
Black Carnaby Cockatoo | 25-50 years |
Cockatiel | 10-14 years |
Red-bellied cockatoo | up to 40 years |
Ducorps Corella | up to 50 years |
Galah cockatoo | up to 40 years |
Gang-Gang Cockatoo | 60 years and older |
Glossy black cockatoo | 20-40 years |
Goffin’s cockatoo | up to 40 years |
Little Corella | 50-80 years |
Mitchell’s cockatoo | 40-80 years |
Moluccan cockatoo | 70 years |
Black palm cockatoo | 80-90 years |
Red-tailed black cockatoo | 45-50 years |
Amazonian parrots
The family of Amazonian parrots is one of the largest families. It includes about 35 subtypes of parrots. However, about 12 breeds are known to be pets, and they are:
Race | Average service life observed |
Yellow-crowned Amazon parrot | 80-100 years |
Yellow-naped Amazonian parrot | up to 80 years |
Yellow-headed double-headed amazon parrot | up to 80 years |
Orange-winged Amazon parrot | up to 50 years |
Panama Amazon parrot | up to 60 years |
Red-coated Amazon parrot | up to 80 years |
Spectacled Amazonian parrot | 40 years and older |
Mealy Amazonian parrot | 60-80 years |
Lilac-crowned amazon parrot | up to 50 years |
Blue-fronted Amazon parrot | up to 35 years |
Lilac Amazon parrot | 40-60 years |
Black-billed Amazonian parrot | 12 years |
Parrot Eclectus
The Eclectus parrot is a unique species of parrot that feeds mainly on juicy fruits and vegetables with small amounts of seeds and nuts, unlike other parrots that feed mainly on seeds and nuts. This parrot can live up to 40 years with proper care, and perhaps more in rare cases.
Senegal parrot
The Senegal parrot is another breed of calm and charming parrot. This family has 3 subtypes, and all of them share most of the characteristics and includes the expected lifespan. Senegalese parrots live between 30 and 40 years, depending on the quality of food and care they receive in captivity.
Caique parrot
Caicos parrots are only 2 subtypes, the White-bellied Caicos with a life expectancy of 25-40 years. The other subtype is the black-headed calico, whose life expectancy can also reach 40 years. However, this longevity can be achieved mainly in captivity with proper care.
Pionus Parrots
Pionus are a family of 5 main members that can reach up to 30 cm, with a slight difference in coloration between each type. However, this family of parrots can make really fun and adorable pets, and they can live between 25 and 40 years with proper care and healthy eating.
Collared parrots
The collared parrot is a family that has about 14 subtypes, and each subtype has its own subtypes. And if we count all the subtypes of the subtypes, the total could be more than 50. However, not all of them are known as pets.
Parakeet lifespan
Why do parrots live so long?
The functioning of the parrot’s body is really different from that of most mammals. Their high resting glucose level, body temperature, ability to fly, and higher metabolic rate are the reasons why the parrot lives longer than many other birds. And in many cases, a parrot can outlive its owner if it receives the care and feeding it needs.
However, these are the essential elements for a parrot to live a long time, other factors like a good healthy diet, safety, and mental stimulants that will keep the bird mentally healthy are all necessary for a parrot to live long.
There is no guaranteed age for all these species. The species included in this article are mostly pet parrots and some rare and endangered species. There are still many species whose lifespan is unknown.
The lifespans mentioned in the tables above are usually possible with proper care, many of these breeds will experience much shorter lifespans in captivity due to the lack of experience of their owner.
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