Lovebirds
Relevant Web Resources:
- Lovebird General Info (scroll down) ... Lovebird Species
- Lovebirds as Pets ... Lovebird Diet: Feeding your lovebird for good health
- Breeding Lovebirds / Lovebird Chicks (photos of handfeeding lovebird chicks)
- Lovebird Diseases (Diseases & Health Problems Lovebirds are Susceptible to)
- Lovebird Photo Gallery (Species Photos & Links)
... Also of interest may be:
- Peachface Mutations / Colors ... Black-masked Mutations / Colors
Books, DVDs and Other Media about Lovebirds (Sold / shipped out of: 
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Are you looking for a lovebird? Click here for a listing of breeders
Lovebirds are small, stocky versions of parrots, with a large hooked upper beak . The most common lovebird species in the United States (and maybe worldwide) is the charming Peach-faced Lovebird - which have been bred in an array of beautiful color mutations. The striking-looking black-masked lovebirds are also widely available.
Their voice apparatus allows a wide range of articulations, including the imitation of the human voice. Although they are not known to be great talkers; and most never learn to talk at all.
Eight of the nine lovebird species come from Africa, the remaining one from Madagascar.
Lovebirds make lively and energetic pet birds. They are available in a variety of colors and are playful and often boisterous birds. African Love Birds require an owner who is willing to provide the care and attention this animated bird adores. Birds that do not receive this attention become prone to behavioral problems, including feather picking.
Description
Lovebirds are about 5 - 7.5 inches (13 - 19 cm) in length; and average 1.5 to 2.5 oz ( 40 - 70 grams) in weight, which puts them among the smallest parrots in the world.
- Note: Bird weight is an important indicator of good health or health problems (please click here for diseases associated with weight gain or weight loss). Monitoring your pet's weight regularly, establishing a healthy base weight and keeping an eye on changes are recommended as part of their general care regiment. Your vet should be alerted to any weight deviations that are not in line with natural weight fluctuations.
They are characterized by a small, stocky build and a short, blunt tail. The beak is rather large for their overall size.
Many lovebirds are green, although color mutations can feature many different colors. Some lovebird species, like the Black-masked Lovebirds, Fischer's, black cheeked, and the yellow-collared lovebird, have a white ring around the eye.
| Information & Chart provided by Dr. Rob Marshall - http://www.birdhealth.com.au) |
| African Love Bird Genus Agopornis |
| Size: 19cm in length |
| Pet Status: Excellent |
| Talking Ability: Poor |
| Noise Level: High |
| Lifespan: Up to 15 years |
| Breeding Ability: Excellent |
| Number of Eggs: 3-6 eggs |
| Incubation: 21-23 days |
| Compatibility with other species: Not recommened |
| Feeding: Seed and Fruit Eaters |
| Health Programmes: Follow the Parrot Health Programme. |
| Sexing: Surgical or DNA sexing is required. Females are generally larger than males. |
Lifespan is 10 to 15 years.
There are 9 species of lovebirds, of which 8 are available as pets.
Sexually Dimorphic (sexes look different) are the following:
- Abyssinian Lovebirds
- Red-faced Lovebirds
- Madagascar Lovebirds (Grayheaded)
Sexually Monomorphic (Sexes look same or Similar)
- Black-cheeked or Black-faced Lovebirds
- Fischer's Lovebirds
- Masked Lovebirds (Black Masked or Yellow collared)
- Nyasa Lovebirds (Lilian's)
- Peach-faced or Rosy-faced Lovebirds
Characterized by Eye Rings:
Without Eye Rings:
With EyeRings
Breeding Lovebirds:
The best breeding results for African Love Birds are achieved when kept in a colony system. A group of five or six pairs requires an aviary a minimum of three metres long and one metre wide.African Love birds may also be bred successfully using the cabinet system, where cabinets no less than 80x50x50cm are recommended.
Hens build a substantial nest and will gather twigs and other nest building materials from their surrounds. For more information on breeding lovebirds, please visit this webpage.
Caring for your Lovebird:
Please visit the below webpages for further, in-depth information:
- Lovebirds as Pets - Information on personality, diet, housing, special needs ... Talking Ability (compared to other species) ... Procuring a Lovebird ... Lovebird Breeders
- Breeding Lovebirds
- Lovebird Species
- Lovebird Books
Class: Aves ... Order: Psittaciformes ... Family: Psittacidae ... Subfamily: Psittacinae ... Genus: Scientific: Agapornis ... English: Lovebirds ... Dutch: Onafscheidelijken ... German: Unzertrennliche ... French: Inséparables ... CITES II - Endangered Species
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The Avianweb strives to maintain accurate and up-to-date information; however, mistakes do happen. If you would like to correct or update any of the information, please send us an e-mail. THANK YOU!
