Spotting the birds alive is common and we often see them every day. But it is rare to see the dead birds.
Most species of birds can live for only a few years in the wild as it is the rate for them to die of natural causes alone.
These reasons may include predators, lack of food, hard weather conditions, accidents, or any other cause. But death from old age is generally rare among the bird species.
When it comes to the small birds, these bird species are very crucial for the food chain as their diet includes small amphibians, insects, and other invertebrates.
The small bird species are often predated by many other bird species or mammals.
Due to this, these birds produce more eggs as only a few can survive to adulthood because of predators.
They breed after their first year if they survive the winter season. When the birds feel sick they seek out the places that are out of the way.
The birds go to the ground or try to hide in a secluded spot. This bird feels much more vulnerable and they take a chance to rest and recover.
But if they happen to die in that location, there are fewer chances that they are found.
The scavengers and predators like rats, cats, and foxes can seek out these hideouts and often feed on them. Due to this, it becomes rare to find the remains of the dead birds.
When a predator doesn’t manage to find the bird, the body of the bird gets decomposed rapidly as they have light body mass. Here, the insects cover the dead body and the remains decay rapidly.
Facts About Birds Lifespan
In this world, there are hundreds of bird species among which some are even extinct.
The death of the birds is often because of human interventions or predator interventions. But sometimes their cause of death is their lifespan.
However, the lifespan of birds can vary as per the habitat as their lifespan is less in wild as compared to captivity. Here are some of the birds and their lifespan.
| Bird Species | Life Expectancy ( In Wild) |
| Laysan Albatross | 65+ years |
| Arctic Tern | 34 years |
| Brown Pelican | 27 years 10 months |
| Great Horned Owl | 27 years 7 months |
| Mute Swan | 26 years 9 months |
| Red-tailed Hawk | 25 years 9 months |
| Great Blue Heron | 23 years 3 months |
| Sandhill crane | 18 years 6 months |
| Northern Cardinal | 15 years 9 months |
| American Robin | 13 years 11 months |
| House Sparrow | 13 years 4 months |
| Wild Turkey | 12 years 6 months |
| Killdeer | 10 years 11 months |
| Eastern Bluebird | 10 years 5 months |
| Ruby-Throated Hummingbirds | 9 years |
| Mourning Dove | 19 years 3 months |
| Blue Jay | 16 years 4 months |
| White-crowned Sparrow | 13 years 4 months |
| Brown Thrasher | 12 years 10 months |
| Wrentit | 12 years 7 months |
| Common Murre | 26 years 5 months |
| Trumpeter Swan | 23 years 10 months |
| Bald Eagle | 21 years 11 months |
| Black-capped Chickadee | 12 years 5 months |
| Peregrine Falcon | 12 years 3 months |
| Sanderling | 12 years 1 month |
| American Kestrel | 11 years 7 months |
| Song Sparrow | 11 years 4 months |
| Tree Swallow | 11 years |
| Black-and-White Warbler | 11 years 3 months |
| Dark-eyed Junco | 10 years 9 months |
| Broad-tailed Hummingbird | 11 years |
Many other bird species vary as per their habitats, diet, colors, calls, and other variations. The cause of death can be different for every bird including accidents, predators, hunting, and more.
But their remains may get consumed by the insects, rodents, or any other predators due to which it is rare to discover their remains.
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