Birds are not only beautiful but also have a lot of traits that amuse humans.If you have always been attracted to these magical creatures and wondered if the same ones came to your garden every year, this article is just the one you have been looking for! Find out all about the beautiful life of a bird.Humans often assume that animals do best in their wild habitats, but there are many wild birds that are sure to tell you otherwise. It is only best known by researchers that in spite of how capturing birds and keeping them as pets are criticized by a certain section of society, there are some birds that actually benefit from being kept as pets. The wild comes with its own threats, which a large chunk of the bird population fails to survive. Whether it be in the form of predators, accidents caused by humans, or climatic changes, there is always a factor or two that contributes to the loss of juvenile birds. Since wild birds are protected against these threats under human supervision, quite a few years are added to their lifespan when they are raised in captivity. Make sure to keep reading in order to know about different birds and their lifespans!If you enjoy this article, why not also check out how long do baby birds stay in the nest and are birds animals?How long do most house birds live?When it comes to the life expectancy of birds, there is no definite number that can be attached since there are so many species and each species has its own characteristics.The characteristic differences between the species also suggest that the average life span that each bird would live up to is largely subjective. While the lifespans of birds can vary on the basis of their species, they can also be impacted largely on the basis of the bird’s habitat. When in a garden or forest, wild bird species tend to be threatened for a number of factors, and hence the mortality rate is higher. Wild bird species tend to be threatened by the predators in nature, troubles that come with migration, and also suffer from natural death when exposed to disease-causing viruses and bacteria. When in captivity, on the other hand, birds tend to reach their maximum life spans and live till old age since it allows them to feel safer. When in captivity, birds are generally saved from the troubles of wildlife and therefore survive longer.However, there is no average age to which house birds can live since accidents are easily avoided. The wild birds, on the other hand, are exposed to threats from a very young age and need to struggle for food and shelter.Wild Bird LongevityWild birds have considerably smaller lifespans since these species live in the natural world that is full of threats that kill them within the first year of birth. Wild, migratory birds that move to warmer climates are often observed to not return during the spring season. This shows that many wild birds die before they can even start breeding.Even breeding adult birds that have been banded get lost and so, are assumed to be dead quite often. While some adult birds such as warblers do show some percentage of survival, they evidently do much better when there is a human being or a family of humans to protect the animals.The wild, in addition to predators, also raises the concern of environmental factors that can spread diseases among these birds. Records show that the mortality rate in young songbirds and warblers is considerably high within the first two years of their birth since the young birds are more susceptible to diseases and are less equipped in fighting away predators.Additionally, the fact that songbirds have only less than 50% chances of survival beyond two years of life is one of the factors that have tipped researchers towards raising concern regarding the lifespan of these birds and question why they wouldn’t live long in the natural habitat.While it seems to be a general trend that a bird’s lifespan is increased when it is brought up in captivity, there are some species of wild birds that do not like to be isolated from the natural world. A starling is one of these bird species. Research suggests that a European starling would have a much-reduced lifespan as a captive as opposed to when it is allowed to live in its North American habitat.How long do the common birds in our gardens live?There must be a tree in your garden or yard where you have installed a couple of feeders and seen a couple of birds in the course of time. The fact remains that since only a small percentage of these birds live beyond one migratory cycle, you would hardly ever see the same adults during the same time next year.While it cannot be denied that a bird lives longer when it has access to feeders and is living in a protected yard, as the season changes and the animal moves to its native land, it is likely to be killed by one factor or the other.If you have noticed a nest on a tree, there are chances that about 70% of the brood will be killed by either some fatal accident or the eggs will be eaten by an animal. This also reduces the chance that parent birds would be able to raise the young ones.The average garden songbirds have a lifespan of around three years. There are records that suggest that even warblers would have an average lifespan of three years if they are given the right food and a site for breeding in.Which bird species lives the longest?It is noticed as a general trend that large birds tend to live longer than small ones. The great blue heron, for example, has an average lifespan of around 15 years. This difference in the lifespans of different birds based on their size also holds true for the longest living bird known to us. A banded Laysan albatross named Wisdom was last observed in 2021 when she was 71 years old! Such lifespans are not uncommon in seabirds such as albatrosses, which are particularly large birds. In general, large seabirds have a life expectancy of 30-50 years.On the other hand, small birds live for considerably fewer years. A hummingbird lives for an average of five years, while the common songbird would live till the age of only six years. As is evident the lives of even just North American birds have different spans.Large birds such as puffins and penguins not only live longer but also achieve sexual maturity at a rather late age. Small birds, on the other hand, often start breeding even before they have been alive for a year. This is understood to have been an evolutionary adaptation that enables the small bird species to make sure that their lineage is not lost completely.Not only do small birds reach sexual maturity quickly after their bird, they even try to lay more than just one brood in each breeding season. There are some bird species that lay more than two broods in order to make sure that at least some percentage of the baby birds survive and can add to the number of birds in the species. These evolutionary adaptations, along with conservation efforts, have enabled scientists to be able to save many species from the face of extinction!Longevity And ConservationConservation efforts have made it possible for many bird species to live for longer spans of time. However, it often becomes difficult for scientists and researchers to catch and band birds. Furthermore, it becomes very difficult for people to tell the female and male birds’ age after they have attained adulthood. This creates an information gap and hinders us from getting adequate information regarding the lives of these fascinating creatures.One of the most remarkable feats achieved by humankind was recording the age of a rather old catch. A female Laysan albatross was caught and banded 71 years ago and in the course of time, she has been recorded in many places. The fact that she was alive even in 2021 shows how long an albatross can live and also throws some light on the genetic factors that affect the life expectancy of birds.Conservation efforts include the capturing of endangered species and protecting them in reserves. This ensures that each individual bird is given the care and food that it would require depending upon its age. Researches based on wild-life reserves also suggests that a bird that was brought up in captivity right from when it was an egg would live for a greater number of years; since most baby birds are killed right when they are eggs if they were to be in the wild, unprotected natural habitat.Caring For Your Pet Bird To Improve LongevityHow long and happily your pet bird lives depends entirely on the care and love that you provide. There is substantial evidence that suggests that birds live longer when brought up in captivity. If proper care is given according to the season and if your pet has been laying eggs during its prime, chances are that your pet family will get bigger with time! It is noteworthy that the average lifespans of pet birds are between 15-25 years.Additionally, did you know, eagles have an average lifespan of about 23 years, while the European starling can live for about 15 years! Also, the red jungle fowl can live for around 25 years and the northern cardinal has an average lifespan of 15 years! Furthermore, the great egret can live to attain the age of about 15 years!Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for how long do birds live then why not take a look at are birds cold-blooded, or rufous treepie facts?
Birds are not only beautiful but also have a lot of traits that amuse humans.
