The birds in our gardens or local parks can feel like old friends after a while. It may seem as if we’re seeing the same individuals year after year—and that may be true because often they stay faithful to their home territory. But it can lead us to wonder: How long do these birds live? That question can be surprisingly hard to answer.
Cushy Cage Life
After a bird reaches its adult plumage, it’s impossible to tell how old it is just by looking at it. But some zoos and aviaries keep records of individual birds, which means we can track their ages. One example: A pink cockatoo (a type of Australian parrot) arrived at the Brookfield Zoo near Chicago in 1934. When he died in 2016, he was at least 83…
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Birds & Blooms (Digital) - 1 Issue, February/March 2024