No known species of bird lives for 200 years. The longest-lived birds, such as specific parrots, cockatoos, and albatrosses, generally have maximum lifespans ranging from 60 to over 100 years. The oldest recorded bird was a sulphur-crested cockatoo named Cocky Bennett, who lived to be 120 years old.
Bowhead whales swimming in the Arctic. Found in the icy waters of the Arctic and subarctic ocean, bowhead whales are considered the longest-living whales—which also makes them the longest-living mammals. They can live for over 200 years, and they don't become sexually mature until around age 25.
A Laysan albatross called Wisdom currently holds the record for the oldest known living bird. It's estimated that she's at least 70 years old and is still breeding and successfully rearing chicks.
A deep-sea sponge can break the records of all living animals. It can live up to a thousand years. In fact, a study revealed that the oldest of the sponge samples collected lived for 11,000 years. During this time, the earth has just recovered from the Ice Age.
Did you know the longest brooding period or 'pregnancy' of any known animal is a whopping four and a half years? If you think female African elephants have it tough with their 22-month gestation period, spare a thought for the deep-sea octopus Graneledone boreopacifica.
After 20 Years, This Scientist Proved Birds Can Talk and Use Grammar
Can a crow live 100 years?
The average lifespan of the American crow in the wild is 7–8 years. Captive birds are known to have lived up to 30 years. The West Nile virus is a major cause of death in crows.
January 1, 1970. In 2004 it was claimed that a blue and yellow macaw that had belonged to Churchill was still alive – aged 104. 'Charlie' was said to have been born in 1899, bought by the Churchills in 1937 and, eventually outliving both its owners, ending up in a garden centre in Surrey, UK.
Wisdom the albatross—hatched around 1951—is the world's oldest known wild bird. At age ~74 in 2024–25, she laid her first egg in four years with a new mate and has raised around 30 chicks over a lifetime of 50–60 eggs. An enduring symbol of resilience, love, and nature's incredible longevity.
No, crocodiles don't live to be 200, but they have exceptionally long lifespans, often exceeding 100 years, with some reaching over 120, thanks to slow aging, energy conservation, and adaptability, though the average is around 70-80 years in the wild, with specific individuals like Cassius and Henry documented living well over a century in captivity.
The animal known for living only about 5 minutes as an adult is the mayfly, specifically the female of the species Dolania americana, which emerges from its aquatic nymph stage to mate and lay eggs before dying, with its entire adult life focused solely on reproduction, as they lack functional mouths and digestive systems. While most adult mayflies live a day or less, this species holds the record for the shortest adult lifespan.
A theoretical study suggested the maximum human lifespan to be around 125 years using a modified stretched exponential function for human survival curves. In another study, researchers claimed that there exists a maximum lifespan for humans, and that the human maximal lifespan has been declining since the 1990s.
The ocean quahog is a fist-size clam that can live to be 500 years or older. Some researchers believe the sturdy quahog's secret to a long life is its ability to protect its proteins from damage.
The world's oldest wild bird, a Laysan albatross named Wisdom, returned to Midway Atoll to lay an egg. However, her estimated age is now 75 years old for the current 2025–2026 nesting season.
Parrots and the corvid family of crows, ravens, and jays are considered the most intelligent of birds. Research has shown that these species tend to have the largest high vocal centers.
The video became so popular Hannah was invited to appear on ITV breakfast show This Morning, where she said Chanel had been found about a mile away from home, three days after she went missing.
Blue macaws are listed as “vulnerable – decreasing” on the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). According to them, there are approximately 4,300 left in the wild, and that number is declining.
Why do we not see baby crows? You might not realize you're looking at a baby crow since they are close to the same size as adult crows. In addition, it's not common to see hatchling crows because their nests are high up in trees where humans don't generally hang out.
While it's true that many bird species are rather unintelligent, several studies have shown remarkable intelligence in some of the most common birds you might see. For example, some studies suggest that crows possess nearly as much intelligence as a 7 year old!
