Lessons From Seychelles: How Birds Can Help Us Live Healthier Lives

What does aging gracefully mean to you? To me, it means keeping your body healthy in such a way that you can live your life to the fullest. For many senior citizens, aging gracefully is not a reality. From complex ailments to the day to day aches, many people, after a certain age threshold, just can’t use their body properly anymore. And that’s my issue. Why should we settle for less, when all we have to do to live happier, healthier lives are some simple things which we can learn from birds.

What do birds have to do with aging? In this case, it’s not just any bird that I’m asking you to learn about. It’s the Seychelles Warbler. These birds, once on the brink of extinction, have been studied for their exceptional lifespans and aging patterns compared to birds their size. The average small bird lives only 2-3 years, but the Seychelles Warbler can live for 6-7 years, a clear anomaly among their companions. Another reason Seychelles Warblers were chosen to be studied by scientists was for their distinct habits. Unlike most birds, who may migrate thousands of miles between seasons, Seychelles Warblers stay in the same area (in this case, island), all their life. This odd habit has made this bird one of the easiest among their species to study and track, from hatching till death. 

“Senescence is not just getting older; it’s what happens when you start declining in your function as you get older”.

Dr. David S Richardson

Meet Dr. David S Richardson. As an evolutionary ecologist, he has been working with Seychelles Warblers for the last 10 years. Along with various other scientists, he has explored the Seychelles Islands and done studies on how these unique birds live their lives. 

“As an evolutionary ecologist, I work on understanding how an animal, or bird in this case, came to be in terms of their physiology, traits, and behaviors,” said Dr. Richardson. “Understanding an animal’s environment, and the challenges it faces in that environment, is key to better conserving a species and its unique traits.” 

In Dr. Richardson’s studies with Seychelles Warblers, he tried to look at their aging patterns, or more specifically, their senescence. But what does senescence mean? In the words of Dr. Richardson, “Senescence is not just getting older; it’s what happens when you start declining in your function as you get older”. For example, take a 15 year old human. They could be improving in their bodily functions up till 30, 40, maybe even 50, but once they cross a certain age, they start to decline. In terms of survival, that drop off in bodily function also mirrors a drop in survival rate as your body becomes slower, and less capable. 

In Dr. Richardson’s studies on Cousin Island and various other Seychelles islands, he found that one of the most prominent reasons behind the increase in rates of senescence is reproduction. As many of your parents know, reproduction takes a massive amount of energy, both before and after birth. Not even considering energy expenditure, reproductive processes will leave a parent vulnerable for extended stretches of time. In the words of Dr. David Richardson, “[reproduction] costs a lot, but unlike pathogens doesn’t kill you outright.” In studies done by scientists on the reproductive habits of Seychelles Warblers, it was found that when a family member took over a small portion (“can be as low as 30% of all parenting duties,” says Dr. Richardson), it significantly reduced rates of senescence in the parent. Thinking in terms of tangible benefits, a joint family system (where parents receive help from grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc) would reduce stress and free up time: for both human and avian parents. 

Another reason Dr. Richardson found for lower rates of senescence was body mass. Generally, in the animal world, a higher body mass means you have fat reserves you can use in times of duress. For flying animals on the other hand, body weight is a careful investment. If you have too much weight, you won’t be fast enough to evade predators. In Dr. Richardson’s research, he found that having a higher body mass during adolescence as a result of the silver spoon effect (inherited wealth) meant a lower rate of senescence later in life. For birds, we can assume “inherited wealth” means an easier access to food and less competition in the immediate environment. Drawing back to joint family systems, helpers can facilitate this silver spoon effect by gathering food and feeding young. 

Finding time for yourself is important. It’s been told to us countless times over, but yet, we don’t take it seriously. I hope that, if nothing else, decades of research on one of the most distinctive birds in the world can push you towards finding balance between the demands of life and the needs of your body. Arm yourself with this information, and take your first step towards living a happier life. Good luck. 

Huge thank you to Dr. David S Richardson and the many other scientists on the Seychelles Islands. Your years of hard work is appreciated.