On average, most birds live anywhere from 8 months to 15 years. However, their lifespans can vary greatly depending on species, habitat (wild or captivity), brain size, and level of care. Thanks to recent advancements in scientific research, techniques like bird banding and recapturing now allow scientists to determine the near-accurate age of many bird species.

Small birds like finches and bobwhite quail may live only 6 months to 3 years, while larger species such as the Laysan albatross or macaw can reach an impressive 50 to 70 years. Understanding how long birds live isn’t just fascinating—it also plays a crucial role in conservation. Knowing a species’ average lifespan helps researchers and wildlife advocates better protect bird populations, develop effective conservation strategies, and address the challenges they face in the wild.

 

How Long Do Birds Live on Average?

The most interesting part of a bird's average lifespan is that most birds don't survive their year on earth. A journal published by the British Ecological Society shows that Juvenile birds at 1 month of age faced around 57 percent mortality rate, compared to 0.6% when they were at 4 to 5 months.

The drop in mortality rate when most birds reach their adulthood is a pointer to their longevity. Many birds do not die of old age. What kills most of them is the increasing number of risks they take yearly as they age. 

According to work on seabirds by an Ornithologist at the Los Angeles County Museum, some Laysan Albatrosses have lived into their 30s, and some may have grown into their 70s. 

Also, the maximum life expectancy record so far for the American Coot is 22 years. In contrast, Songbirds live close to two years, a purple finch lives 10 years, and a captive Canada Goose has lived close to 33 years. The following table gives you the complete overview of the maximum recorded common bird lifespans. 

SPECIES	YR.-MO	SPECIES	YR.-MO.
Laysan Albatross	37-05	White-crowned Sparrow	13-04
Arctic Tern	34-00	House Sparrow	13-04
Great Frigatebird	30-00	Warbling Vireo	13-01
Western Gull	27-10	Brown Thrasher	12-10
Common Murre	26-05	Black-bellied Plover	12-08
Trumpeter Swan	23-10	Wrentit	12-07
Great Blue Heron	23-03	Wild Turkey	12-06
Canada Goose	23-06	Black-capped Chickadee	12-05
Mallard	23-05	Peregrine Falcon	12-03
American Coot	22-04	Sanderling	12-01
Osprey	21-11	American Kestrel	11-07
Bald Eagle	21-11	Song Sparrow	11-04
Red-tailed Hawk	21-06	Black-and-white Warbler	11-03
Brown Pelican	19-08	Tree Swallow	11-00
Mourning Dove	19-03	Broad-tailed Hummingbird	11-00
Sandhill Crane	18-06	Acadian Flycatcher	10-11
Great Homed Owl	17-04	Killdeer	10-11
Northern Harrier	16-05	Dark-eyed Junco	10-09

 

Longest-Living Birds in the World

Over the years, there have been so many opinions regarding the oldest living birds on earth. However, through the banding techniques, researchers have tracked the average lifespans of birds and come to the following conclusions.

● Kakapo, or owl parrot, an endangered nocturnal bird species, has been recorded to live for 90 years.

Kakapo are primarily found in the forested areas of New Zealand and are identified by their owl-like face with distinctive green feathers. 

● The Laysan Albatross bird has surpassed 70 years.

Laysan Albatrosses are enormous seabirds with large wings and big beaks that spend most of their lives in the sea and only come onto land for breeding purposes. 

● Andean Condor, which is mainly found in the mountainous area of South America, is said to live close to 50 years.

Andean Condor is characterized by its all-black feathers with a touch of white at the neck collar region. This species of bird can fly high up the mountain with its enormous wings that spread up to 10 feet wide. 

● The macaw, one of the well-known bird species in the world, can live up to 50 years.

Macaws are identified mainly by entities large, bright red, blue, and green appearance with a big upper beak with long tails. And are mostly found in the South and Central America rainforest.

 

Birds with the Shortest Lifespan

While some birds can live for hundreds of years, others can only live a couple of months to two or five years maximum. The following are some of the notable examples of birds with short life spans.

● Quail in the wild can live up to 1 to 4 years, while those in the farms may live up to 6 years.

● Domestic Canaries with a lifespan of between 4 to 10 years.

● Warblers are migratory birds that go long distances for breeding. This type of bird's average lifespan is about 2 to 4 years.

● House Sparrow is another bird species that falls into this category because of predators like cats and hawks. The house sparrow's average lifespan is around 3 years.

● Due to unfavorable conditions like loss of natural habitat, Bobwhite have a very short lifespan of about 6 months to 2 years.

● Finches are small bird species that are often threatened by sickness and predators. This small, fragile species usually lasts about 3 to 6 years.

 

Key Factors That Influence How Long Birds Live

Birds don't just live and die arbitrarily. There are so many factors that contribute to how long birds live. The factors range from their sizes, habitat, brain size, and many others. The following are the key factors that contribute to the lifespan of birds.

1. Body Size

Bird body size is a key factor in determining their lifespan. Bigger birds are expected to live longer than the smaller ones. However, there have been some exceptions in this case in tubenoses like albatross, petrels, and others that have lived longer than their predicted lifespan.

2. Habitat: Wild or Captivity

There is a direct correlation between birds' habitat and their lifespan. It was established that birds in captivity tend to live longer than those in the wild because of their security away from predators and migratory stress. However, some exceptions have also been noticed. There was a case of an European starling in the wild that lived 3 years longer than any captive starling birds.

3. Predators

Birds that are generally prey for predators and are defenseless are often hunted down. Hence reduces their lifespan. While those that are non-edible can defend themselves and survive the harsh reality of the food chain tend to live longer.

 

How to Help Birds Live Longer

Humans play a key role in how birds live through their expected years. It's plausible if you consider the mitigating factors that short-lived birds. Most of these factors emanated from human behavior, including the release of toxic waste into bird habitat, climate change, deforestation, and others. However, you can take charge and show some responsibility towards these birds in the following ways.

1. Keep your car away from bird habitats and ensure any strayed cats are attached with breakaway collars that alert birds

2. Get your bird a very good feeder that's clean and safe from diseases.

3. Avoid using glyphosate or toxic chemicals on flowers. These chemicals often poison birds and cut short their lives.

4. Keep watch of the birds via a lens or binoculars instead of being in direct contact with their habits.

5. You can protect bird nesting sites by delaying pruning or cutting down your trees.

 

Conclusion

With recent studies and advancements in research, we can estimate that some birds live up to 80 years, while some die in their first months. Additionally, there are so many factors that influence how long a bird lives. These factors include size, habitat, and human factors. When next you see a bird, best believe that you are also part of the factors that can enhance its chance of reaching its expected year