Parrots have highly variable lifespans depending on their species and size. Generally:
- Small parrots, such as budgerigars (budgies), parakeets, and cockatiels, live about 8 to 15 years, with some cockatiels living up to 25-30 years in captivity
- Medium-sized parrots, including conures, caiques, and Senegal parrots, typically live 15 to 30 years, with some species reaching up to 50 years
- Large parrots, such as macaws, African grey parrots, Amazon parrots, and cockatoos, can live significantly longer, often 25 to 60 years or more. Some Amazon parrots and cockatoos may live 40 to 70 years, and macaws around 30 to 50 years, sometimes even longer in captivity
Exceptional cases exist where parrots have lived over 80 years or even more than 100 years, but these are rare and usually involve excellent care, genetics, and luck. For example, the oldest known parrot was a blue-and-gold macaw named Charlie, who lived to at least 114 years old
. In summary, parrots can live anywhere from about 8 years for small species to over 50 years for large species, with some individuals reaching exceptional ages beyond that range
. Their lifespan is heavily influenced by species, size, care, diet, and environment.
