Lovebird

Lovebird is the common name for the genus Agapornis, a small group of parrots in the Old World parrot family Psittaculidae. These small birds are known for their strong, monogamous pair bonding, which is why they are called lovebirds. They spend long periods sitting closely together when they form pairs.

All lovebirds live in Africa, except for the grey-headed lovebird, which is native to the African island of Madagascar. They live in small flocks and enjoy eating fruit, vegetables, grasses, and seeds.

Because of their friendly and social nature, some lovebirds are kept as pets. Breeders have created several different colored varieties through aviculture. With proper care, lovebirds can live for about 10 to 12 years.

Description

Lovebirds are small parrots, measuring about 13–17 cm (5–7 in) long and weighing between 40–60 g (1 ½–2 oz). They have a stout body, a short tail, and a strong beak. In the wild, most lovebirds are green, but they can have different coloured markings on their heads depending on the species. For example, some have a white ring around their eyes. Through selective breeding, many colourful varieties of lovebirds have been developed and are popular pets in aviculture. As of 2019, there are 30 known colour variations in their plumage, caused by special pigments called psittacofulvins.

Main article: Selective breeding

Taxonomy

The genus Agapornis was described by the English naturalist Prideaux John Selby in 1836. The name combines the Ancient Greek words for "love" and "bird". The genus contains nine species of lovebirds, and they are native to mainland Africa and the island of Madagascar. In the wild, these birds live in different areas, so each species stays in its own place.

Traditionally, lovebirds are grouped into three types based on their looks, but scientists have found that these groups may not tell the whole story of how the birds are related. These groups include the Madagascar, Abyssinian, and red-headed lovebirds, the peach-faced lovebird, and the masked, Fischer's, Lilian's, and black-cheeked lovebirds.

Species

Lovebirds are a group of small parrots known scientifically as the genus Agapornis. There are nine different species alive today, and they all come from Africa. One special kind, called the grey-headed lovebird, lives on the island of Madagascar. These birds are very social and love to pair up, which is why they are called "lovebirds" – they form strong bonds and spend lots of time together when they find a mate.

Nesting

Lovebirds build nests to lay their eggs and raise their chicks. Depending on the species, the female bird may carry nesting material into the nest in different ways. For example, the peach-faced lovebird tucks nesting material into the feathers on its rump to bring it to the nest.

Feral populations

See also: Hybrid lovebird

Feral populations of Fischer's lovebirds and masked lovebirds can be found in cities across East Africa. These birds sometimes create hybrids, which have a reddish-brown head and orange on the upper chest, similar to the masked lovebird.

There are also feral colonies in the Pretoria region of South Africa, likely from birds that escaped from aviaries. In Arizona, mostly Rosy-faced lovebirds live feral today, first seen there in the 1980s and discovered breeding in 1998.

Diet and health

Lovebirds are mostly vegetarians, and they search for food in nature. In the wild, they eat seeds, grains, and leaves from trees, shrubs, and tall grass. However, wild lovebirds can sometimes carry diseases like avian polyomavirus.