5 pet birds that live no more than 20 years

Deciding on a bird as a pet could be a dealbreaker for most people. While some people may prefer to have their pets around for as long as possible, other people don't plan on spending the next 30 to 90 years as pet owners. Life changes like going to college, travelling, and getting new career opportunities could make someone prefer a pet that won't live for a quarter to half of a lifetime.

An evident tendency among pet birds' life spans is that bigger birds tend to live longer, and smaller birds have the shortest life span. There is a small variation in the medium-sized parrots where some parrots like the conure, tend to live up to 40 years.

We have made a compilation of five birds that have short lifespans and basic facts about them.

1. Canary

These are small commonly kept birds that can live for 5 to 10 years even though a few can live up to 15 to 20 years. With extra care, a canary can be live for as long as possible however, male canaries tend to live longer than their female counterparts due to the production of eggs which is taxing on their bodies.

1. Budgies

They are some of the smallest and extremely popular parrots. Their ease of care and short life spans make them a good 'starter' bird for first-time bird owners and responsible children. How long these small birds live is highly dependent on the quality of life you offer them as an owner. Their stated life spans vary from 5 to 20 years. You will probably see 20-year-old budgies so it is better we estimate the lifespan for a very well-cared budgie to be 8–10 years.

1. Parrotlet

Parrotlets are small parrots that are unfortunately very accident-prone. As very small interesting active birds that enjoy being with humans, they can accidentally be stepped on, items can fall on them, or they can end up getting crushed in other unfortunate ways when they are permitted to play outside of their cage. For birds like this, extreme caution needs to be taken.

They are said to have a lifespan of 12 to 20 years. However, some owners have reported that they can live for up to 30 years. So despite their size, they are longer-lived birds, birds hence, they will demand more of your attention.

1. Quail

Quails have a remarkably short life span compared to other small pet birds. The male quail will live between 3 and 5 years and the females will live between 2 and 4 years. Some may have lived up to 9 years old, making this birds' lifespan well below 20 years.

The health of the female quail is determined by how often she lays eggs and whether or not she's received sufficient nutrition to keep up with this. If you are thinking of getting a quail as a pet, note that with the right care, it is perfect if you are seeking a bird to keep you company for a few years.

1. Zebra Finches

They can live for 5 years in the wild and between 5 to 9 years on average in captivity. One out of ten Zebra Finch tends to live for up to 14 years.

Finches are great birds for people who prefer a pet whose lifespan is under 15 years, although they are better birds for viewing than interacting.

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