Health of captive parrots
There’s an assumption that captive parrots surely must be healthier and live longer than parrots in the wild. In a home or zoo, for example, they will never starve to death, they will have scientifically advanced diets, and they will be safe from predators. However, a study of 83,212 parrots covering 260 species (nearly 80% that exist) found the opposite.
“Our data indicate that while some captive individuals are capable of reaching extraordinary ages, median lifespans [of captive birds] are generally shorter than widely assumed, albeit with some increase seen in birds presently held in zoos.”
“Survival on the ark: life history trends in captive parrots“—National Institutes of Health—February 2013
Although I wasn’t able to find a good reference for conditions only affecting captive birds, I suspect that among them would be obesity (and related conditions), heart disease, and vitamin deficiencies (specifically A and D3).
As I’ve researched parrots over the decades and applied what I’ve learned (or tested my theories), I always keep in mind that mother nature is currently doing a better job at keeping birds alive and healthier longer despite the advantages a captive bird has.…