Lovebird Lifespan: How Long Do Lovebirds Live?

Lovebirds are a popular species of parrot. Although they originate from Africa, many of them today live in homes as pets. They are known for forming strong monogamous relationships, which has earned them their name. However, despite fiercely loving their mates, they are also generally well-tempered and will form bonds with humans as well, one of the main reasons they are such a popular avian pet. With all this in mind, you may be considering adopting a pair of lovebirds yourself. But, how long do lovebirds live?

Lovebirds, like any pet, are a commitment. As a result, it’s important to learn the essentials to their care and health, which involves knowing how long they live on average. Below, you’ll find a guide to the lovebird lifespan, as well as additional information.

Ready to learn how long lovebirds live? Keep reading below!

Species Profile: Lovebirds

The common name “lovebird” refers to all of the Old World parrots in the genus Agapornis. Even the genus name itself means love, with the word “agapornis” being composed of the Ancient Greek word “agape” for love and “ornis” for “bird”.

There are nine total species in this genus, each of which is native to Africa. Love birds are friendly and social, and they are named for their intense bond with their mate. They can be seen sitting alongside their mate for long periods of time. Despite this bond with a single other individual, however, lovebirds are also often friendly with other individuals (though to a lesser degree than their mate) and form small flocks. 

Only some of the species found in the lovebird genus are kept in captivity. Some, such as the black-collared lovebird, have highly specific diets that can be difficult to maintain in captivity.  

Also, despite popular misbelief, lovebirds can in fact live without their mate. When one member of a mated pair dies, the remaining lovebird will definitely showcase the effects of its grief. Signs of stress, such as feather plucking, are common. However, so long as they are properly monitored and not allowed to fall into malnutrition or similar conditions, the remaining lovebird can recovery and can continue to live a typical lifespan.

How Long Do Lovebirds Live?

With a typical lifespan in mind, how long do lovebirds live exactly?

As mentioned above, there are nine different species of lovebirds. As a result, each species may have a different lifespan from the others. This also depends on whether they are in captivity or living in the wild. 

In captivity, the average lovebird lifespan ranges from 10 to 25 years. Below is a table with the average lifespans for each species commonly kept as a pet:

How Long Do Lovebirds Live in the Wild?

As with many species that are kept both in the wild and in captivity, wild individuals tend to have shorter lifespans. This is because they face unique challenges, such as securing necessary resources like food and water, as well as predation by other animals. Wild lovebirds also lack access to medical care, unlike pets.

On average, in the wild, lovebirds will live between 5 and 15 years. This depends on the species of lovebird as well as other factors such as weather, the presence of natural disasters, and locations.

How Old is the Longest Living Lovebird?

As you learned above, most lovebirds only live to reach about 25 years old at the most. The oldest lovebird ever recorded was an estimated 34 years old.

Lovebird Life Cycle

After finding a mate, the female lovebird will lay a single clutch. This clutch typically includes anywhere from four to six eggs. The incubation period for these eggs lasts, on average, 21 to 23 days. Unlike some other species of birds, lovebirds are born dependent on their parents. As a result, following their hatching, they undergo a nesting period that lasts another 20 to 22 days. Following this, the fledglings will be able to leave the nest but will remain in the care of their parents for some time after.

Lovebirds undergo their first molt at 5 months of age. Then, at 10 months, they reach sexual maturity. During this time, they will begin their hunt for their life partner, with many finding theirs and breeding for the first time by a year and a half in age.

The photo featured at the top of this post is © Lip Kee from Singapore, Republic of Singapore / CC BY-SA 2.0 – License / Original