What Bird Lives the Longest?

The albatross has one of the longest lifespans among birds, with the ability to live up to 60 years. There have been other rare birds that have broken this record in captivity, such as a sulphur-crested cockatoo that lived for 80 years in a zoo.

Other long-living breeds of bird include the Arctic tern, with a lifespan of 34 years, and the great frigatebird, with a lifespan of 30 years. The problem with determining the maximum lifespan of a bird is the high rate of early death. Birds are fragile and are typically prey for other animals, meaning that some species have a 70 percent chance of being killed on a yearly basis.