This bird is a Millennial: 32-year-old cockatiel makes history as oldest in the world
Sonny, a sweet grey cockatiel with a yellow mohawk and bright orange cheeks, has seen it all.
Over these three decades of life, the bird has witnessed nine presidential elections, 17 Olympic games, the rise of the internet and the 2019 coronavirus pandemic.
Yet despite the changing world, this beloved bird has remained an important part of the Reicher family in Northbrook, Illinois, USA, for over 32 years and 292 days, when they obtained a world record title for their adorable pet.
Sonny at age 10
On 29 October, GWR confirmed that Sonny is the oldest cockatiel living in the world – and just a few months later on 10 January, the family celebrated his 33rd birthday. Given that the average life expectancy for a cockatiel is roughly 10 - 15 years, Sonny has more than doubled the lifespan of his fellow fowl, which the Reichers credit to his social lifestyle and nutritious diet.
“He is a great companion to me,” said the bird’s mom, Janet Reicher. “He socializes with anyone that pays attention to him. My husband used to travel a lot, and Sonny kept me company and always made me laugh.”
Sonny at six months old
The family started taking care of Sonny in 1993 when he was just a few weeks old, and the clever bird soon began to adopt some special talents. He learned to whistle songs from Bridge over the River Kwai and the theme from the Andy Griffith Show – although now he sometimes struggles to keep the tunes straight in his little head.
“We used to do duets while I showered, and he sat on the vanity,” explained Janet. “He used to have a large vocabulary, but now it is just a few words with lots of baby babble.”
Read more stories about record-breaking pets in our dedicated Animals section!
Sonny at age seven
The Reichers also say that Sonny is a very friendly bird, who would hang out with anyone who pays attention to him. The family submitted pictures of the cutesy cockatiel giving kisses and sitting pretty on their shoulders and knees, throughout the three incredible decades of his life.
Sonny at age 11, and Sam at age five
Sonny at age 30, and Sam at age 24!
“I feel that the reason that Sonny has lived a long and happy life is due to good nutrition (lots of human food), cleanliness, and lots of socialization,” said Janet. “I bake muffins for him, and feed him vegetables, chicken, egg, bread, pasta, and potatoes.”
And in his free time, the charming bird likes to wander around the house, searching for fun places to rest and relaxing with his family.
“He usually spends waking hours outside of his cage, sitting on various size perches. In the evenings, he often sits on my knee while watching TV!” Janet continued.
Sonny also only ventures into his cage to eat seeds, slurp up some water, or get a few minutes of peaceful shut-eye, instead preferring to spend his time with the Reichers.
And because he’s paper-trained outside of his cage, he’s basically like any other house pet – except he’s a better singer!
So in the future, we expect that the Reichers will spend a lot more quality time with their record-breaking bird, especially as he approaches his 34th birthday.
Congratulations to this elderly avian – Sonny, you are Officially Amazing!