How Long Do Parrots Live?

Within their respective species sizes, genetics, care, and disease all influence how long a parrot can live.

Small-size parrots and parakeets: 8–15 years

• Budgerigars (budgies)
• Lovebirds
• Parrotlets

The cockatiel, a personal favorite of Dr. Scagnelli, occupies a niche between small and medium parrots. These charming birds typically live 15 to 30 years.

Medium-size parrots: 15–30 years

• Conures
• Alexandrine parakeets
• Ringneck parakeets
• Red rump parakeets
• Lineolated parakeets
• Golden-mantled rosella parakeets
• Quaker (monk) parakeets
• Caiques
• Meyer’s parrots
• Pionus parrots
• Red-shouldered macaws
• Red-bellied parrots
• Senegal parrots
• Lorikeets

Large-size parrots: 30–50 years

• African grey parrots
• Amazon parrots
• Eclectus parrots
• Cockatoos
• Macaws

It’s uncommon for large-size parrots to live longer than 50 years. However, some parrots have been reported to live well beyond their expected years. The oldest parrot record holder is Cookie, a Major Mitchell's cockatoo who is thought to have been 83 years old (his age was unknown when he arrived at the Brooklyn Zoo in 1934) when he passed away.

With such a long lifespan, you may wonder how a parrot ages through the years. Parrot life stages can be broken down by the following:

Stage 1: Hatchling to Fledgling (0–12 Weeks)

Pet parrots start their life with an avian breeder. They’re often raised alongside other chicks for socialization and might be hand-fed a special formula or fed by their avian parents.

Stage 2: Weanling to Juvenile (12 Weeks to 6 Months and Up To 3 Years)

Parrots wean from their bird parents or formula between 12 and 16 weeks old, and this is typically when they can be adopted or bought by pet parents.

Because they’ve just transitioned from a liquid diet, young parrots may prefer a diet that includes soft foods. Dr. Scagnelli recommends feeding moistened pellets mixed with vegetables and grains. “After the first week or two of offering the softened diet, [pet parents] can begin transitioning to a dry diet,” she says.

Some commercially available pellets, like Kaytee® NutriSoft™ Parrot & Conure Bird Food, offer a soft texture right out of the bag, making the transition easier for pet parents and their young parrots.

Depending on the species of your parrot, they may be considered a juvenile until 6 months or up to 3 years of age. You can tell the age of some birds by notable juvenile features, such as dark eyes that lighten with age and “little ‘baby bars’ or striped feathers on their forehead” that recede with each molt, Allen says.

Stage 3: Adulthood (Starting at 6 Months)

Parrot adulthood begins at sexual maturity, which varies anywhere from 6 months for small birds to more than 3 years of age for large parrots. “Around this time, the behavior of a pet parrot may change as they start to look for a mate,” Dr. Scagnelli says. Common behaviors can include increased vocalization and strutting (holding their head high and puffing up their chest feathers for display).

Many parrots will change in appearance as they enter adulthood. “Ringnecks, mostly males, will start showing their ‘ring’ on their neck as they age and grow adult plumage while yellow-naped Amazons do not get their true yellow nape until they are at least 2 years old,” Allen explains. She adds that cockatiels will get their orange cheek features in adulthood, as early as 6 months old.

Follow these tips from Dr. Scagnelli to help your parrot live a longer, happier life.

1.   Offer a Nutritious Diet

Avian and exotic pet vets, such as Dr. Scagnelli, recommend fortified pellets as a parrot’s main source of nutrition. Unlike seed mixes, where vitamins are often sprayed on the shell (and discarded by your bird), pellets have essential nutrients throughout.

You can supplement a pellet diet with fresh vegetables, fruits, and grains for a well-rounded and enriching diet, such as the following Chewy customer favorites: