What is the longest living parrot breed?

sodakat

New member
Jul 15, 2009
649
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Documented, it was a (Cacatua Moluccensis) salmon-crested cockatoo:

We compiled 87 777 individual parrot records representing
262 species (72% of all parrot species) from ISIS. After
excluding those individuals hatched before the 1800s or that
failed to survive their first day, and species in which no
individuals lived past a year, 83 212 individuals representing
260 species remained for analysis. Parrot species in captivity
ranged dramatically in their maximum and median lifespans.
The highest maximum lifespan recorded was 92 years


for the salmon-crested cockatoo
Cacatua moluccensis. Only

12 species (less than
5% of the 260 species) had an individual live

past 50 years of age. Of all the species held in ISIS institutions,
50% never had an individual live beyond 22 years of
age, and only 30% of these species had a median adult
lifespan greater than or equal to
10 years, even after limiting data to individuals

who survived juvenile mortality (greater than
4 years). In contrast,

when only living animals were considered, 58% of species


had a median age greater than or equal to
10 years.
 
Last edited:

henpecked

Active member
Dec 12, 2010
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Jake YNA 1970,Kia Panama amazon1975, both i removed from nest and left siblings, Forever Home to,Stacie (YN hen),Mickie (RLA male),Blinkie (YNA hen),Kong (Panama hen),Rescue Zons;Nitro,Echo,Rocky,Rub
I 've heard of a DYH amazon in Alaska reported to be 105 and i believe a Cockatoo in the UK that once belonged to Winston Churchill that was also 105. I think the birds used in the report above where all institutionalized (zoos ,breeders,etc) these others are pet birds that i don't think where covered in that study.
 

sodakat

New member
Jul 15, 2009
649
2
Correct, that study was compiled from info from zoos. I certainly hope we keep them alive longer in our homes than zoos do, but its hard to prove how old they are. Zoos keep records of when the bird was obtained.

I've heard of 80+ year old zons and macaws but this is just hearsay on my part.
 

mrgoogls

New member
May 6, 2012
638
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Parrots
1 male Quaker-Cooper
i know a lot of macaws and zons and some too's live well over eighty years and are included in theirs owner's wills to their children or friends! thats just crazy!
 

LoveMyParrots

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Dec 29, 2012
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Parrots
Ozzie - alexandrine parakeet
I believe cockatoos are the most long lived parrot, large macaws can also live a long time, 60+ years!

One of my friend once had a sulphur-crested cockatoo that lived for 89 years!
 

ohmyhi

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Sep 22, 2013
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Georgia
Parrots
None
There is an Umbrella Cockatoo on pet finder that is looking for a home and is currently 88 years old
 

Birdman666

Well-known member
Sep 18, 2013
9,904
258
San Antonio, TX
Parrots
Presently have six Greenwing Macaw (17 yo), Red Fronted Macaw (12 yo), Red Lored Amazon (17 y.o.), Lilac Crowned Amazon (about 43 y.o.) and a Congo African Grey (11 y.o.)
Panama Amazon (1 Y.O.)
I 've heard of a DYH amazon in Alaska reported to be 105 and i believe a Cockatoo in the UK that once belonged to Winston Churchill that was also 105. I think the birds used in the report above where all institutionalized (zoos ,breeders,etc) these others are pet birds that i don't think where covered in that study.

Winnie had two birds. Neither of them was a too.

One is a B&G Macaw, one is a DYH Amazon. They are both still alive. One is 103, the other 106...

The DYH still swears at Hitler in Winnie's voice...
 

Birdman666

Well-known member
Sep 18, 2013
9,904
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San Antonio, TX
Parrots
Presently have six Greenwing Macaw (17 yo), Red Fronted Macaw (12 yo), Red Lored Amazon (17 y.o.), Lilac Crowned Amazon (about 43 y.o.) and a Congo African Grey (11 y.o.)
Panama Amazon (1 Y.O.)
There was a Scarlett Macaw at the St. Louis Zoo who lived to be 127, who I think is the oldest recorded bird in captivity.

Amazons, macaws, and toos often live past 100, if you care for them.

My friend has her grandmother's DYH, and that bird is a 90-something.

The oldest bird I ever fostered was a 60-something DYH, and he's still alive and kicking... gotta be in his 70's by now.
 

Birdman666

Well-known member
Sep 18, 2013
9,904
258
San Antonio, TX
Parrots
Presently have six Greenwing Macaw (17 yo), Red Fronted Macaw (12 yo), Red Lored Amazon (17 y.o.), Lilac Crowned Amazon (about 43 y.o.) and a Congo African Grey (11 y.o.)
Panama Amazon (1 Y.O.)
I was wrong. That Scarlett was 128 years old when he died. I just looked it up... So that, to my knowledge, is the oldest recorded captive bred parrot.

The official greeter of the San Diego Zoo was a 90 something M2... and he also died recently. But he was almost 40 years younger than that Scarlett.
 

Klaery

New member
Jul 8, 2012
194
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Brisbane, Australia
Parrots
Elroy - Hahns macaw, Ponyo - Sun conure
There are some really old cockatoos getting around here and most of them have had very poor diets their entire lives. I have no doubt they get well over 100 if kept with a healthy lifestyle.

This is the story of a friend of mines cockatoo, probably the oldest I have personally seen in captivity (bird is still with her father, my friend is in her late 50s):

First record of the cockatoo: It was recieved as a mature bird by my friends grandfather from a pub. It was a pub bird for several years before that (that we know of) and so lived amongst cigerette smoke and on a diet of peanuts for the first part of its life.

This man got old and gave it to his son when he died (my friends father). Son cared for the bird but is now very old and his health is failing. He is currently looking to pass on the cockatoo.

My friend is already in her late 50s and is scared of taking on the cockatoo at this part of her life. This cockatoo has seen her grandfather go from a young man and then grow old and die, her father grow from a young boy to an old man and her from long before she was born to her late 50s.

I don't know dates off the top of my head so I won't do the maths but this bird is certainly getting up there. It is also of unkown origin (but given the approx time it would have been wild caught/taken from a nest).
 

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