Introduction
Owls are nocturnal birds who are well known for their big eyes. These intelligent creatures are active during the night. But you might be thinking that how long do they live? Well, there are 250 species of owls but is it correct that they all have the same lifespan? We will discuss their life span further in this article.
How long do owls live?
Owls living in the wild have a lifespan of about 5-12 years and even more than that in captivity. There is also a difference between the lifespan of captive and wild owls. As it depends on their habitat, nature, food, and different characteristics. But according to studies, wild owls tend to live more than a decade and the captivity ones live for more than twenty years. Owls can live longer than any other species and animals. And many factors are referring to this fact of their lifespan. Some of these factors which depend on their more day of lifespan are:
- Physiological function
- Biological function
- Prevention from predators
- Availability of food
- Habitat
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Different species of owls and their life span
There are more than 255 species of owls and each has a different lifespan depending on their habit and other factors. The owls living in the wild and the ones living in captivity have a distinct lifespan and here it has been mentioned:
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Barn owl
Barn owls living in the wild have a lifespan of about 4-9 years and those in captivity have a lifespan of about 15 years.
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Screen owl
Screen owls living in the wild have a lifespan of about 2-8 years and those in captivity have a lifespan of about 15 – 20 years.
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Snowy owl
Snowy owls living in the wild have a lifespan of about 7-10 years and those in captivity have a lifespan of about 30 years.
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Barred owls
These types of owls living in the wild have a lifespan of about 8-10 years and those in captivity have a lifespan of about 20 years.
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Great horned owls
These species of owls living in the wild have a lifespan of about 10-13 years and those in captivity have a lifespan of about 25 years.
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Great grey owls
Great grey owls living in the wild have a lifespan of about 7-12 years and those in captivity have a lifespan of about 40 years.
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Tawny owls
Tawny owls living in the wild have a lifespan of about 3-7 years and those in captivity have a lifespan of about 15 years.
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Burrowing owls
These species of owls living in the wild have a lifespan of about 3-6 years and those in captivity have a lifespan of about 12 years.
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Spotted owls
Spotted owls tend to have a lifespan of more than 15 years living in captivity and the ones in the wild have a lifespan of about 15 years.
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Whiskered screech owl
The whiskered screech owl has a lifespan of about 14 years both in the wild as well as for those living in captivity.
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Pygmy owl
Pygmy owls have a lifespan of about 5 years on average and they tend to live peacefully for such years.
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Long-eared owl
Long-eared owls tend to live for 15 years on average and almost 20 years.
What are the factors that lead to shortened life of an owl?
There are various factors leading to the death of an owl and decreasing their lifespan. Well, shorter owls have less lifespan than bigger ones as they tend to get attacked by the predators easily. Yet, there are more factors which is the reason for the less lifespan of different species of owl. Here are some of the main factors mentioned below:
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Pollution and natural climate
Climate changes and pollution are the main cause of their destruction if nesting. Not only their home but the pollution which is a threat to humans as well as animals and bird’s life can harm the owl’s health and make them sick even leading to their death.
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Lack of food resources
This is yet another reason why the lifespan of owls is decreasing. The lack of food resources leads to starvation and then finally they die. The adult ones aren’t able to feed their babies and even themselves. This is a major factor in the death of barn owls.
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Predators and accident
Sometimes these owls may have an accident with cars or trucks which leads to ultimate death. Second are predators, it’s very difficult to hide from them or fight to safeguard their babies and nestings, so mostly living in the wd has danger from predators. They can be harmed or killed, thus leading to decreased lifespan.
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Overhead wires and land erosion
These are the factors that occur and lead to the death of a species. Barn owls are the ones whose life expectancy is decreasing and slowly going extinct.
Who lives longer?
So now you might be wondering who lives longer, the ones living in the wild or the ones living in captivity. The ones living inside of an environment or in captivity. The reason behind this is that they don’t face the problem that the ones living in the wild face. Owls in captivity live much longer because they have a life of comfort with the availability of all food and resources, a safe and better shelter, and medical care. The people who take care of the owls need to know a lot of specialized information to care for the birds in the best way possible. Those owls in captivity are provided proper perching surfaces, a healthy diet, appropriate housing, as well as regular maintenance and veterinary care leading to overall better health and, thus, leading to a longer lifespan.
Conclusion
Owls have a lifespan depending on their natural habitat and other environmental factors. Other than this the size of owls also matters in their lifespan, such as the smaller species of owls have a shorter lifespan than the big ones both living in the wild and in captivity. Owls live longer if they are protected and have an availability of food. Their safe shelter also plays a big role in their longer lifespan.
