There are more than 11 thousand species of birds in the world, each with unique characteristics, which every now and then catch our attention. In fact, when we come across a beautiful bird, we often wonder how an animal that seems so fragile and delicate can survive on its own.
Another common question is: after all, How many years can a bird live? The answer is that it actually depends a lot on the species.. We know that birds age very differently from humans. But still, it can be said that many birds live much longer than cats and dogs.
The life expectancy of birds
When the birds’ plumage develops completely, it is a sign that they have reached adulthood. On the other hand, when they get older, birds don’t turn gray, and the changes are so imperceptible — hence the difficulty in estimating their age.
But we are already sure about something, A bird’s longevity is related to its size: the larger the bird, the longer it tends to live. There are species, such as domestic parrots (which, in fact, represent a wide range of bird varieties), which have a longer lifespan and can reach 60 years.
It is worth noting that this is not even the most exceptional case, as some species can reach 70 years of age, such as the Laysan Albatross, Wisdom, which holds the title of the oldest wild bird in the world.
The woodpecker, for example, can live for 15 years, on average, while the famous woodpecker lives between 8 and 12 years. The orange thrush usually has a life expectancy of 10 years — and can reach 20 in captivity. The cockatiel, likewise, lives between 10 and 15 years in the wild, and 20 when in a domestic environment.
Factors that explain the longevity of birds
A more general answer to the question would be that birds live, on average, between 3 and 5 years. This is because a large portion of them are smaller in size, and unlike larger species, they deal with a greater number of predators.
Based on this line of reasoning, species that fly also survive for a longer period. And here comes another sensitive point: life expectancy is still closely related to the habitat and how the birds live. This is because the mortality of these animals is more associated with road accidents than with old age.
For example, if you compare migratory birds with those that remain in a given region for their entire lives, it is clear that the former tend to have a higher mortality rate.
As for the climate, it is no different: species that live in tropical regions also tend to live longer than birds from temperate zones. It is also worth remembering that, regarding the reasons behind climate differences, the greater possibility of socialization and the greater ease of acquiring food are also associated with greater biodiversity.
