Average age or life expectation is different for the various bird species. On average, song birds (suborder Oscines) live 1 to 2 years; wading birds and gulls (order Charadriiformes) 2 to 3 years; Swifts may reach the age of 4 to 5 years and penguins 9 to 10 years. According to records albatrosses may live to be 30 to 40 years old! Mortality is higher in juvenile than in adult birds due to lesser skills in avoiding predators and finding food. For the egg stage mortality is even higher than in juveniles due to great losses in eggs, nestlings and chicks.

Alternative form for age : ages.