Typical captive lifespans (Merck): budgie 5–10 years, lovebird up to 20, African grey 30–50, Amazon 40–50, macaws 30–60. The longest-living parrot on record is Cookie, a Major Mitchell's cockatoo, at least 82 years 88 days (Guinness World Records). Large parrots can outlive their owners, so plan a caregiver.
General information only. Birds hide illness — see an avian vet (aav.org) for any worry. No medication or dosing advice.
Parrots lifespan: how long do parrots live?
Parrots are among the longest-lived pets you can own, but the range is enormous. The Merck Veterinary Manual gives average lifespans from 5–10 years for budgerigars to 30–60 years for macaws, and its chapter on older birds says most pet birds have the potential to live 20–80 years depending on size. VCA puts it simply: smaller species "can live as long as dogs do", while macaws and cockatoos can live "anywhere from 20 to a whopping 80 years".
So there's no single average parrot lifespan. A better question is how long does your species live — which is what the calculator above answers, using avian-vet ranges for 24 species and the best-documented record for each.
Parrot life expectancy at a glance
- Large parrots (macaws, big cockatoos, African greys): typically 25–60 years in captivity (Merck).
- Medium parrots (Amazons, eclectus, pionus, caiques): typically 20–50 years.
- Small parrots (cockatiels, lovebirds, parrotlets, budgies): typically 5–20 years.
- The record: Cookie, a Major Mitchell's cockatoo, lived at least 82 years and 88 days (Guinness World Records).
Typical lifespan vs what zoo records show
Vet ranges describe what a well-kept pet can reach. A 2012 study of 83,212 zoo records covering 260 parrot species (Young, Hobson, Lackey and Wright, Animal Conservation) is more sobering: half of the species never had a single bird live beyond 22 years, and only 30% had a median adult lifespan of 10 years or more. The authors concluded that captive parrots often live shorter lives than people assume — and that better care and husbandry have room to close the gap.
Parrot lifespan chart by species
This parrot species lifespan chart lists the typical captive range from avian-vet references (Merck, VCA; World Parrot Trust or an avian practice where noted in the calculator) and the longest documented age. Parakeets appear with one line each and a link to their own page.
| Species | Scientific name | Typical in captivity | Longest documented | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue-and-gold macaw | Ara ararauna | 30–60 yrs | 48.5 yrs | 86 cm (34 in) |
| Scarlet macaw | Ara macao | 30–60 yrs | 48.3 yrs | 85 cm (33 in) |
| Hyacinth macaw | Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus | 30–60 yrs | 54.3 yrs | 90–100 cm (35–39 in) |
| Sulphur-crested cockatoo | Cacatua galerita | 25–50 yrs | 57 yrs | 50 cm (20 in) |
| Umbrella cockatoo | Cacatua alba | 25–50 yrs | 32.2 yrs | Large |
| Moluccan (salmon-crested) cockatoo | Cacatua moluccensis | 25–50 yrs | 65.8 yrs | 40–50 cm (16–20 in) |
| African grey parrot | Psittacus erithacus | 30–50 yrs | 49.7 yrs | 33 cm (13 in) |
| Amazon parrot (yellow-naped) | Amazona auropalliata | 40–50 yrs | 66.8 yrs | 35 cm (14 in) |
| Major Mitchell's cockatoo | Cacatua leadbeateri | 25–50 yrs | 82.2 yrs | 35 cm (14 in) |
| Eclectus parrot | Eclectus roratus | 20–50 yrs | 40.8 yrs | Medium |
| Pionus parrot (blue-headed) | Pionus menstruus | 25–30 yrs | 23.9 yrs | 28 cm (11 in) |
| Caique (black-headed) | Pionites melanocephalus | 20–30 yrs | 27.1 yrs | 23 cm (9 in) |
| Quaker parrot (monk parakeet) The stick-nest-building parakeet from South America; illegal to keep in some US states. | Myiopsitta monachus | 20–30 yrs | 24.8 yrs | 28–30 cm (11–12 in) |
| Indian ringneck (rose-ringed parakeet) A medium, long-tailed Psittacula parakeet that can share 20–30 years with you. | Psittacula krameri | 20–30 yrs | 34 yrs | 40 cm (16 in) |
| Alexandrine parakeet The largest Psittacula parakeet — about half as long again as a ringneck. | Psittacula eupatria | 20–30 yrs | 30 yrs | 58 cm (23 in) |
| Cockatiel | Nymphicus hollandicus | 10–20 yrs | 35 yrs | 29–33 cm (11–13 in) |
| Sun conure | Aratinga solstitialis | 20–30 yrs | 29.7 yrs | 30 cm (12 in) |
| Green-cheeked conure (parakeet) A small Pyrrhura conure — BirdLife calls the species the green-cheeked parakeet. | Pyrrhura molinae | 10–25 yrs | — | 26 cm (10 in) |
| Lovebird (peach-faced) | Agapornis roseicollis | 10–15 yrs | 34.1 yrs | 15 cm (6 in) |
| Plum-headed parakeet A slim Psittacula parakeet from the Himalayan foothills; males have a plum-red head. | Psittacula cyanocephala | 15–25 yrs | 19.9 yrs | 33 cm (13 in) |
| Bourke's parakeet A quiet Australian grass parakeet that is most active at dawn and dusk. | Neopsephotus bourkii | 8–13 yrs | 19.4 yrs | 19 cm (7.5 in) |
| Budgerigar (budgie) The classic small pet parakeet from Australia, and the shortest-lived type on this list. | Melopsittacus undulatus | 5–10 yrs | 21 yrs | 18–20 cm (7–8 in) |
| Lineolated parakeet (linnie) A small, calm, barred parakeet from Central and South America. | Bolborhynchus lineola | 10–15 yrs | — | 16 cm (6 in) |
| Parrotlet (Pacific) | Forpus coelestis | 15–20 yrs | 30.4 yrs | 12.5 cm (5 in) |
"Longest documented" is either from the AnAge longevity database, the 2012 zoo-records study or Guinness World Records, and the calculator tells you which. Where a famous figure exists but hasn't been checked — such as a 92-year-old Moluccan cockatoo in zoo records — we show the lower, verified record.
Which parrots live the longest?
The longest-living parrots are the big cockatoos, macaws and Amazons. In the zoo study, cockatoos had the highest maximum lifespans of any parrot group, and larger-bodied species lived longer in general. These are the longest verified ages we found:
| Species | Age | Record |
|---|---|---|
| Major Mitchell's cockatoo | 82 years 88 days | Cookie, Brookfield Zoo, Chicago — the oldest parrot ever (Guinness World Records) |
| Yellow-naped Amazon | 66.8 years | Zoo records (Young et al. 2012) |
| Moluccan cockatoo | 65.8 years | A male at San Diego Zoo (AnAge); a 92.5-year zoo record is unverified |
| Sulphur-crested cockatoo | 57 years | "Cocky", London Zoo (AnAge); 73 reported but unverified |
| Hyacinth macaw | 54.3 years | Zoo records (Young et al. 2012) |
| African grey | 49.7 years | "The most reliable longevity record" (AnAge) |
So which parrot lives the longest? On records, the Major Mitchell's cockatoo — thanks to Cookie. On typical captive figures, macaws (30–60 years, Merck) and Amazons (40–50 years) lead.
Macaw, cockatoo and African grey lifespans
Macaw lifespan
Merck gives macaws an average of 30–60 years, and VCA says large macaws average 50–60 years with a maximum of about 75 ("although some have been reported to live over 90"). Mini-macaws live 30–40 years (VCA). Verified records are lower than the stories: 54.3 years for a hyacinth, 48.5 for a blue-and-gold and 48.3 for a scarlet macaw in zoo records. Macaws mature late — VCA says at 4–7 years — and need a lot of space, exercise and attention.
Cockatoo lifespan
Merck gives cockatoos 25–50 years; VCA gives 25–45 years and says "upwards of 70–80 years is possible for larger cockatoo species". The verified records back that up: 65.8 years for a Moluccan, 57 for a sulphur-crested and 82 for a Major Mitchell's. Yet in zoo records the median adult cockatoo lived only about 10–11 years, a reminder that these demanding birds often fall far short of their potential.
African grey parrot lifespan
Merck gives African greys an average of 30–50 years, and the World Parrot Trust 50–60. AnAge calls a bird still alive after 49.7 years "the most reliable longevity record". In our calculator, a 20-year-old grey has used about 50% of an average 40-year life. Merck notes greys are among the most intelligent parrots, so behaviour problems are common without enough time and attention.
Amazon, eclectus and caique lifespans
The Amazon parrot lifespan is one of the longest of the medium parrots: Amazons average 40–50 years (Merck), and a yellow-naped Amazon in zoo records reached 66.8. The eclectus lifespan is 20–50 years on average, caiques 20–30 and pionus parrots 25–30 (all Merck).
Small parrot lifespans: lovebirds, conures and parrotlets
Small parrots live shorter lives, but still longer than most people expect from a small bird:
- Cockatiels: about 10–14 years (VCA) — see our cockatiel lifespan calculator.
- Lovebird lifespan: VCA gives 10–15 years, with a maximum around 20; a peach-faced lovebird in zoo records reached 34.1.
- Conures: Merck gives larger conures such as the sun conure up to 30 years and small Pyrrhura conures up to 25; VCA gives conures 20–35. For the most popular small conure, see our green cheek conure lifespan calculator.
- Parrotlets: 15–20 years (Yarmouth Veterinary Center; Merck "up to 20").
- Budgies and other parakeets: budgies average 5–10 years (Merck); see the budgie lifespan calculator and our guide to every parakeet type.
The oldest parrots ever recorded
The oldest parrot in the world — and the oldest parrot ever recorded with a documented arrival date — is Cookie, a Major Mitchell's cockatoo who lived at Brookfield Zoo near Chicago. Guinness World Records lists him as at least 82 years and 88 days old when he died on 27 August 2016; the zoo gave him a hatch date of 30 June 1933, which would make him 83. He arrived from Australia's Taronga Zoo in 1934 and was the zoo's last original animal.
Other long-lived parrots are well documented in AnAge: a Moluccan cockatoo that lived 65.8 years at San Diego Zoo, a sulphur-crested cockatoo called "Cocky" that lived over 57 years at London Zoo, and an African grey still alive after 49.7 years. Stories of parrots reaching 100 or more circulate widely, but AnAge describes such reports for cockatoos as anecdotal, and none has been verified.
Can a parrot live 100 years?
Not on any verified record. The oldest documented parrot reached about 82–83. A large macaw or cockatoo can realistically live 50–70 years in good care, which is long enough to outlive many owners — see the planning section below.
Why parrots live so long
Parrots live far longer than most animals of their size. The zoo study found that larger-bodied parrot species tended to live longer, and Merck's figures follow size closely: smaller birds have shorter lives and larger birds longer ones. Long-lived parrots also grow up slowly — VCA says macaws aren't sexually mature until 4–7 years and large cockatoos until 5–6 — and a slow start is typical of animals that invest in a long life.
Captivity can lengthen or shorten that potential. A pet is safe from predators, hunger and storms, but it can lose years to an all-seed diet, obesity, inactivity and boredom. Merck lists atherosclerosis, heart disease, cataracts, arthritis and tumours as the main diseases of older birds, and several of them are linked to diet and exercise.
Parrot lifespan in captivity vs the wild
Parrot lifespan in captivity vs wild birds is hard to compare: for most large parrots, nobody has measured how long wild birds live. The best wild figures are for small parakeets: wild budgies live about 4–6 years, roughly half as long as pets (PetMD). Comparing captive records with wild survival for long-lived species is one of the open questions in parrot research.
Will your parrot outlive you? Planning for a long-lived bird
Yes, often. A macaw bought at age 2 by a 40-year-old owner could still be alive when the owner is in their late 90s. Do parrots outlive their owners? Many large ones do, which is why rescues and sanctuaries take in parrots after an owner's death or move into care. The "Will my parrot outlive me?" mode in the calculator adds your parrot's remaining years — on average and to the top of its typical range — to your current age. It uses no human life-expectancy tables, only the parrot's figures.
Some examples: a 2-year-old African grey with a 30-year-old owner could live until the owner is about 78; a 10-year-old blue-and-gold macaw with a 60-year-old owner until the owner is about 110; and a 1-year-old lovebird owned by a 12-year-old until the owner is about 26.
What happens to a parrot when the owner dies?
Without a plan, it depends on whoever is left to decide — a family member, a landlord or a rescue. A plan makes sure the bird goes to someone who knows parrots and has agreed to take it. This is general information, not legal advice; ask a lawyer where you live.
- Choose a caregiver and a back-up who know parrots and have agreed in advance. Let them meet your bird.
- Write care instructions: diet, favourite foods, routines, words and sounds it uses, fears, and your avian vet's details.
- Put a parrot in your will: a will can name a caregiver and leave money for the bird's care. Many US states also allow pet trusts, which can pay a caregiver over time.
- Keep records together: vet history, leg band or microchip number, and any permits (some species, such as Quaker parrots, are restricted in some US states).
- Tell people: make sure family and your vet know where the plan is.
If you're choosing a first parrot and can't plan for 30–60 years, a lovebird, parrotlet or budgie has a lifespan closer to a dog's.
How this parrot lifespan calculator works
Every species has a typical captive range from avian-vet references and an average at its middle — for example 40 years for an African grey and 12.5 for a lovebird. In "Species lifespan" mode, leave the age blank to see the range and longest record, or enter an age to see the share used and the average years left. Each result shows a bar for your species and three common species for comparison.
In "Will my parrot outlive me?" mode, the calculator adds the parrot's average remaining years and its years to the top of the typical range to your age. A 20-year-old Amazon with a 70-year-old owner, for example, has about 25 years left on average, taking the owner to about 95. Ages older than the oldest credible record for a species show a friendly message instead.
Frequently asked questions
Which parrot lives the longest?
On records, the Major Mitchell's cockatoo: Cookie lived at least 82 years and 88 days (Guinness World Records). On typical figures, macaws (30–60 years) and Amazons (40–50) live longest (Merck).
How long do parrots live?
From about 5–10 years for budgies to 30–60 for macaws (Merck). Most pet birds have the potential to live 20–80 years depending on size (Merck).
How long do African grey parrots live?
Typically 30–50 years (Merck); the World Parrot Trust says 50–60. The most reliable record is a grey still alive after 49.7 years (AnAge).
Can a parrot live 100 years?
Not on any verified record. The oldest documented parrot, Cookie the cockatoo, lived about 82–83 years. Reports of 100-year-old parrots are anecdotal.
Do parrots live longer in captivity?
For small parakeets, yes: pet budgies live about twice as long as wild ones (PetMD). For large parrots, wild lifespans haven't been measured, and zoo records show many captive parrots fall short of their potential.
How long do macaws live?
About 30–60 years (Merck); VCA says large macaws average 50–60 with a maximum near 75. The longest verified are about 48–54 years in zoo records.
How long do cockatoos live?
Typically 25–50 years (Merck), or 25–45 (VCA), and larger species can reach 70–80. A Moluccan cockatoo lived 65.8 years at San Diego Zoo (AnAge).
How long do lovebirds live?
About 10–15 years, with a maximum around 20 (VCA); Merck says up to 20.
How long do Amazon parrots live?
About 40–50 years (Merck). A yellow-naped Amazon in zoo records reached 66.8 years.
Will my parrot outlive me?
Large parrots often can. The calculator adds your parrot's remaining years to your age — for example, a 2-year-old African grey could live until a 30-year-old owner is about 78.
What happens to a parrot when its owner dies?
It goes to whoever the owner or family arranges — or, without a plan, often to a rescue. Name a caregiver, write care instructions and ask a lawyer about a will provision or pet trust (general information, not legal advice).
What is the average parrot lifespan?
There isn't a meaningful single average: it runs from 5–10 years for budgies to 30–60 for macaws (Merck). In zoo records, half of 260 parrot species never had a bird live beyond 22 years (Young et al. 2012).
This calculator gives an estimate for education and fun. Every pet ages differently — for health decisions, talk to your veterinarian.