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parrots are birds that live in tropical and subtropical regions around the world. They are prized for their ability to mimic human speech, intelligence, and physical beauty as large, colorful birds. Interesting, compared to others types of birds, parrots have a very long lifespan.
The oldest parrot, Cookie, lived a very long time and is unusual in that its exact hatching date was recorded, providing a real record to back up its record claim. We’ll take a closer look at parrots as a whole and the extraordinary life of Cookies.
What types of parrots are there and where do they live?
Parrots can vary in many ways, including appearance, size, intelligence and longevity. In fact, what most people think of as parrots comes from 398 species in the Psittaciformes order.
Three phylogenetic “superfamilies” make up the order, including:
- Psittacoidea, also considered “true parrots”
- Cacatuoidea, including: cockatoos
- Strigopoidea, a family that includes New Zealand parrots
The Psittacoidea superfamily includes birds that look like what most people think parrots are, such as the blue and gold macaw. It is important to remember that not all parrots have the same level of intelligence or skills; some parrots cannot mimic human speech.
Parrots have a wide range including sub-Saharan Africa, Central and South America, Southeast Asia and Australia. The birds usually live in rainforests and tropical jungles where they feed on fruits, seeds, nuts and insects.
Because of their beauty, intelligence and durability, many people have bought parrots as petsexpand their range. In addition, zoos have often purchased and bred parrots for conservation and education. Thus it is possible to see different species of parrots all over the world.
The Average Lifespan of Parrots
Defining a parrot’s lifespan is not a one-size-fits-all process. Many birds are considered parrots, so the variety in terms of size, intelligence and habitat greatly affects their lifespan.
In general, the average lifespan of parrots ranges from 40-80 years. However, it should be borne in mind that this includes the average of all species, with some having significantly shorter lifespans than others. The larger birds such as the macaw and cockatoo live the longest, and smaller birds such as the sun parakeet can survive for 30 years or more.
Several factors contribute to the longevity of parrots. As with many animals that are not bred for food, parrots in captivity tend to live longer than wild birds. In some cases, such as the African Gray Parrot, animals in captivity can live up to three times longer than in the wild.
Parrots kept as pets receive high quality food, protection from predators and live in controlled environments that do not suffer from sudden irregularities and food scarcity, factors that can reduce the quality of life of the birds.
How old is the world’s oldest parrot?
The oldest parrot on record is Cookie, a cockatoo who survived to age 83 and survived his entire life at the Brookfield Zoo. However, the subject of the world’s oldest parrot is: full of discussion, so we will describe some other parrots whose lifespan may be longer, but which are difficult to verify exactly age.
Cookie gets our vote for oldest parrot because his claim has been verified by zoo officials.
However, other parrots have claimed longer lifespans, including Fred, a sulfur-crested cockatoo that lived to be 107 years old. The star on this record comes from the fact that he has lived in many locations throughout his life, so no one knows exactly how long Fred lived.
However, history has a different story about the longest-living parrot of all time. Evidently, Cocky Bennett lived no less than 120 years from 1796 to 1916. Throughout his long life he changed hands with sailors and hotel owners, eventually losing all his feathers twenty years before he died.
However, it is difficult to confirm the age of Cocky Bennett. So if you’re looking for a definitive answer to which parrot is the oldest, you’ll have to settle for one of these answers. Cookie was 83 and had detailed records to support his case, but the other two could be just as valid, but much older.
Other parrot owners claim to have the oldest bird, such as Charlie, a macaw supposedly owned by Winston Churchill, a claim disputed by Churchill’s daughter. Without corroborating evidence, it’s impossible to say whether this bird is even in the running or actually owned by Churchill.
Parrot Species That Live Longest
Some parrot species have a greater chance of longevity than others. Based on our list of the oldest parrots, confirmed or not, macaws and cockatoos seem to have longer lifespans than other parrots.
- Macaws have an average lifespan of 50 years, but they can live more than 100 years. With more macaws with detailed data, a macaw could probably one day set the record for the oldest parrot in the world.
- Cockatoos stay around for 40 years or more and live regularly in captivity.
- Amazon parrots are another breed that lives long, possesses high intelligence and the ability to speak. They live about 40 years, but in some cases birds can live up to 60 years.
Comparing the lifespan of parrots with other birds
Compared to parrots, other birds do not have a long lifespan. Here are some common bird lifespans to consider.
- pigeons last about 5 years in the wild, but can live 15 years in captivity
- pigeons live about 2 years in the wild, but up to 20 years in captivity
- Canada Geese live between 10-24 years in the wild, but can live up to 30 years in captivity
- finches live about 5 to 8 years in the wild and up to 11 years as a pet
As you can see, many species of parrots live longer than most other birds.
Conservation status of parrots
Unfortunately, parrots are now considered endangered all over the world. They have been hunted as pests and captured for pets, devastating populations in some areas.
In addition, parrots suffer from habitat loss. Tropical rainforests, a common home for parrots, are being cleared for resources and to expand agricultural land.
Parrots are very interesting birds that can live for a long time. While we may never get to the bottom of which bird has lived the longest, we have some great cases to investigate that provide insight into their longevity.
For our purposes, Cookie is the oldest confirmed parrot to have ever lived, but upcoming evidence, as well as better facilities to care for parrots, could lead to a record attempt in the future.
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