Rosy-cheeked lovebird

One of the most popular types of lovebirds. Homeland -Southwest Africa, the region from South Angola to the Orange River. They were brought to Europe in 1860.

Body length - about 16-18 cm (including 4-5 cm - tail). Weight - 45-50 g.

The main color is grassy green, the forehead is bright red, and the cheeks and throat are orange-pink (orange). The upper tail coverts of pink-cheeked lovebirds are blue. The beak is yellow.

The chicks are painted completely dark green, and at this time their beak is dark in color, with a light tip. The beak brightens and completely brightens by 3 months. The red stripe on the forehead appears by the 5th month of life, during the first change of plumage. Fully adult coloration is acquired by birds by the 7-9th month of life, when puberty occurs.

The female differs from the male only in size - it is slightly larger than him, they are the same in color. Sometimes the red coloration on the forehead is on the smaller female, and the pink tint on the cheeks is paler.

Rosy-cheeked lovebirds are very quarrelsome and aggressive not only to other bird species, but even to their fellows. Therefore, this species of parrots is mainly kept in pairs.

Black-winged lovebird

Homeland - highland forests of the central and eastern regions of Ethiopia. They were brought to Europe in 1906. This species is not as popular as the others, perhaps because of the not very bright coloring.

Body length - about 17-18 cm (including 4-5 cm - tail). Weight - 60-70 g.

The plumage is green, but the males have a frontal part, narrow rings around the eyes and a bright red beak. The flight feathers on the wings are dark brown, and the edges of the wings are black. The tail is short and slightly rounded, yellow in color, with a wide black stripe, and green at the tip. His eyes are brown, as are his legs. Females are distinguished by the green color of the plumage of the head, as in chicks. Black-winged lovebirds are sociable and easily get along with other songbirds.

orange-headed lovebird

Homeland - West and Central Africa.

Body length - about 13-15 cm (including 5 cm - tail).

The color of the plumage is mostly green, the forehead, cheeks and neck are orange, with a yellow tint, the loin is blue, the flight feathers of the wings are dark brown with a greenish edge, the undercover feathers of the wing are black, the edge of the wing is blue, the feathers on the inside of the wing are yellow, with red dots in the middle. The eyes of the orange-headed lovebird are brown, and the beak is bright red. Legs are grey.

The female as a whole is somewhat paler in color, her green color is yellowish, the red color on the head has a yellowish tinge and takes up less space.

Masked lovebird

Homeland - Zambia, Tanzania and Mozambique. They were brought to Europe in 1927.

This species of lovebirds is distinguished by a black with a brown tint on the head, a yellow neck and breast, and a dark brown color on the sides and throat. Their back, wings and belly are green. Around the eyes are wide white rings that represent

a patch of bare skin. The upper tail coverts are dark blue. The beak is red. Male and female almost do not differ in color.

The masked lovebird can interbreed with its subspecies: Fisher's lovebird, black-cheeked lovebird, and strawberry-headed lovebird. The offspring gives an interesting, unusual color.

Fisher's lovebird

Homeland - Northwest Tanzania. They were brought to Europe in 1927 in the form of Maskovy.

Body length - about 15-16 cm (including 4 cm - tail).

The main color of the plumage is dark green. The forehead is red, while the rest of the head and neck are orange. The rump is blue, the inner side of the flight feathers is black, and the upper side is green. The eyes are brown, and around them, like the mask, white rings. The beak is red and shiny. Legs are grey. Females differ from males only in size, being larger birds.

Black-cheeked lovebird

Homeland - Zambia and along the northern tributary of the Zambezi River to Victoria Falls. They were brought to Europe in 1906.

Body length - about 15-16 cm (including 5 cm - tail).

Plumage color is dark green. The top of the head is dark orange and the sides are black-brown, hence the bird's name. The throat is red, around the eyes are characteristic for all mask subspecies "glasses" from a white strip of skin. The eyes themselves are brown, the beak is red. Legs pink or grey.

It is believed that this lovebird is easier than all other "spectacled" lovebirds to breed in captivity.

Strawberry-Headed Lovebirds

Homeland - North-Eastern Zambia. They were brought to Europe in 1926.

Of the masked lovebirds, the strawberry-headed ones are the smallest in size.

The main color of the plumage is dark green. However, the frontal part is bright red, the sides of the head and throat are the same color, but with a yellowish tint. Strawberry neck. Wide white rings around the eyes. The rump of the bird is green. The beak is red and the legs are light pink or grey. During the flight, this lovebird screams piercingly.

The female differs slightly from the male. In most cases, only their red color is slightly paler. This is the smallest of the "spectacled" lovebirds, and in this it differs from the similarly colored Fisher's lovebird. In addition, a reliable distinguishing feature is the green rump, which in Fischer is ultramarine.

The strawberry-headed lovebird does not often find its way to the bird markets in Europe due to the ban on the export of these parrots from Zambia.

Grey-headed, or Madagascar, lovebird

Homeland - Madagascar, Zanzibar, Comoros, Reunion, Mauritius. They were brought to Europe in 1872.

Body length - about 13-14 cm (including 4-5 cm - tail). Weight 40–43 g.

The main color of the plumage is green. The head, neck and upper chest are pearly grey. The lower part of the chest, abdomen and undertail are yellowish. The tail is very wide. The beak is light gray and small. Legs are gray with a bluish tint. Females, unlike males, are completely green. Females do not have gray coloration on their heads. The chicks are similar in plumage to the female.

In captivity, this species of lovebirds almost does not breed. However, there is a hybrid obtained from crossing a gray-headed lovebird and a budgerigar.

green-headed lovebird

Homeland - Central Africa, Liberia, Cameroon, Congo and Zaire.

The lovebird flies quickly and with a loud unpleasant cry, similar to the creaking of unlubricated door hinges. Very agile on the ground.

The main color, like all lovebirds, is green. The breast is yellow, the neck is black, with an orange stripe in the form of a necklace, which is why the birds are often called necklace lovebirds. The lower back and rump are blue-blue. Flight feathers are black, with green stripes on the outside. The beak is black, the legs are gray.

In the cages of lovers of exotic birds, the green-headed lovebird is not found, which is explained by the difficulty of catching it in its habitats. These lovebirds almost all the time keep in the crowns of old trees, which have several tens of meters in height.

It is very interesting to watch all the lovebirds, because they do such funny things.

The pink-cheeked lovebird, also called the pink-headed lovebird, lives in Africa - South Angola. These parrots live in dry savannahs, on plains near water sources and in high places up to 1600 meters high.

Description of pink-cheeked lovebirds

The body length of an adult is 16-17 centimeters, the wing length reaches 10 centimeters. Body weight varies between 48-60 grams. The pink-headed lovebird has a stocky body. The beak is light yellow. The iris is dark brown. Legs grey-green. The tail is short, slightly pointed, its length is 4.5-5.5 centimeters.

The main color of the plumage of the pink-cheeked lovebird is grassy green. At the same time, the upper back, nape and crown are bright green, and the belly and chest are light green. The rump and loin are bright blue. The forehead and crown are red, the throat and cheeks are pink.

Lifestyle of rosy-cheeked lovebirds

Pink-headed lovebirds live in small flocks, ranging from 5 to 20 individuals. When it comes time to gain weight, parrots gather in numerous flocks - up to 100 individuals.

Rosy-cheeked lovebirds are active during the day, and they spend the night in the empty nests of weavers. They lead a sedentary lifestyle. They are able to climb vertical surfaces well, using their claws and beak, and making active movements with their wings. The flight speed reaches 58 kilometers per hour.

All members of the pack regularly communicate with each other. When the temperature drops, the pink-cheeked lovebirds gather in groups of 5 individuals and warm each other. They make sounds that are a mixture of chatter and harsh cries.

The diet consists of berries, seeds, fruits, nuts, millet, grains, sunflower seeds, maize and flowers. Food is collected on the ground.

The exact lifespan of pink-headed lovebirds is unknown, and in captivity they can live up to 20 years.

Reproduction of pink-cheeked lovebirds

The mating season occurs from February to March. During the breeding season, these parrots nest in colonies. They make nests in rocks, under the roofs of houses, hollows of trees, or use the nests of weavers.

Whether parrots occupy abandoned nests or force their owners to leave them is unknown. The nest is built in the form of a deep bowl, using grass, twigs, bark and leaves. The male does not help the female build the nest, but guards the nest and feeds the female during construction work.

The clutch of pink-headed lovebirds can contain from 4 to 6 white, almost round eggs. Their laying occurs with an interval of 1-2 days. The incubation period lasts 23 days. Full plumage in chicks appears at 40 days. And at 32-38 days they can already fly out of the nest, but for another 10-14 days their parents feed them. The first molt in young individuals occurs at 4-5 months, at 8 months they acquire a color, like in adult birds. Puberty occurs at 8-12 months.

Rosy-cheeked lovebirds and humans

These parrots cause significant damage to fields of millet and other grain crops.

More than 60 color forms of pink-headed lovebirds have been bred: variegated, blue, gray, white, yellow, light brown, blue, green-olive, purple, cream, and the like. They can interbreed with masked and black-cheeked lovebirds, Fischer's and Liliana's lovebirds. The population size of the pink-headed lovebirds is unknown.

Keeping pink-cheeked lovebirds in captivity

This is one of the members of the family, which is most often kept in captivity. Rosy-cheeked lovebirds were first brought to Europe in 1860.

Pink-headed lovebirds are kept in rectangular or square cages. A small cage for a rosy-cheeked lovebird is not suitable - one couple should live in a dwelling measuring 80x30x40 centimeters, when keeping a couple, a cage of 100x40x50 centimeters is chosen. The bars in the cage must be metal and horizontal. The bottom should slide out. At the bottom is placed a different material that absorbs moisture well.

Drinking and eating bowls are washed weekly. As they get dirty, clean the perches and toys. The cage needs to be disinfected once a week.

In a cage with rosy-cheeked lovebirds, the presence of a reservoir is mandatory, as these birds love to swim. You can spray lovebird feathers from a spray bottle.

At least 2 perches are hung in a cage at different heights, and ropes, toys, bamboo rings and a house for sleeping are also placed.

Feeding rosy-cheeked lovebirds

The diet of these parrots consists of vegetables, fruits, greens, lettuce, dandelion, grain, millet, carrots, oats, sunflower wheat, canary seed and berries.

Pink-headed lovebirds should not be fed sweet, salty, spicy foods such as cookies, tarts, chips, chocolate, and the like.

Young growing parrots are fed 4-5 times a day, and it is enough for adults to give food 1 time per day. Be sure to need water with drinking water, which is changed as it gets dirty.

During the breeding season, lovebirds are fed white bread softened in milk or water, boiled eggs, sprouted oats and millet, grated carrots, crumbly wheat porridge, as well as cottage cheese and flour worms.

A mineral stone for birds should always be in the cage, and young individuals are additionally fed with trace elements and vitamin C.

Taming Pink Cheeked Lovebirds

Males are better tamed than females. Rosy-cheeked lovebirds love to play with different devices: ladders, bells, ropes, mirrors, paper boxes. Toys designed for small, budgerigars are not suitable for pink-headed lovebirds.

These parrots do not get along with other types of birds. They have a rather aggressive nature, show territorial behavior, and often bite during the mating season.

Breeding pink-cheeked lovebirds

To stimulate reproduction, the length of daylight hours is increased, and building material is placed in the cage: branches of shrubs and grass. There should also be an artificial nesting house, 25x20x30 centimeters in size. You can use a nesting box for budgerigars.

The period of incubation of eggs lasts about 22 days. At the age of 55-60 days, young individuals can already be planted in a separate cage.

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Now, as I write these lines, from the cage in my hallway, I hear the sonorous and very optimistic voice of my pet, a rosy-cheeked lovebird named Kiwi. I sometimes learn from him to live, because this bird never loses heart, in all situations showing activity, vivacity, strong character and a bright personality.

Currently, in captivity, these small and very interesting parrots are often kept in captivity. In their homeland (Africa and Madagascar), they usually stay in small flocks, never flying far from the water. They fly quickly, emitting a sharp loud cry during the flight. Therefore, a flying flock of these parrots always makes itself felt. This is exactly how my pet behaves, moving rapidly around the room and filling it with very loud sounds. Of course, not all of my guests like his cries, but they have to endure ...

Lovebirds not only fly fast, but also climb well, skillfully using their beak and legs; run well on the ground. These parrots feed on various berries and small seeds that they find on the ground, in bushes and on trees. Probably, animal food (insects and their larvae) is also present in their diet.

The most widely known myth about these wonderful birds is that the death of one of the birds in a pair, allegedly, entails the immediate death of the other bird “from longing”. In fact, this does not happen, and the surviving bird, as a rule, finds a new partner for itself. I personally had to keep rosy-cheeked lovebirds alone for many years. These birds, taken to my house as fledglings, became completely tame and always pleased the owners with their peculiar behavior. True, it must be admitted that each of these lovebirds perceived me as his chosen one (or chosen one?) and actively sought to persuade me to co-breed. I stubbornly rejected their endless courtship, which probably made my winged pets very upset.

Lovebirds are indeed very attached to each other, but the prevailing opinion about the marital fidelity of these parrots and the tragic consequences of their separation is an exaggeration. I note, however, that, from my point of view, the debunking of this myth does not at all detract from the various merits of these wonderful birds.

The "gravitation" of lovebirds to "society" has long been noticed. It is known that they settle in the collective nests of small passerine weaver birds, as well as under the roofs of houses in the nests of swallows. Lovebirds carry twigs, fragments of bark or blades of grass in a very original way, known only among parrots. They stick them into the plumage of the back or uppertail, and so they fly with a load “over their shoulders”. The spectacle, frankly, is hilarious!

How are parental responsibilities distributed between representatives of different sexes in these birds? As it turns out, at different stages of reproduction it is not at all equal, but this does not violate the harmony between partners at all. The female builds the nest and she incubates the eggs. The male takes care of feeding the incubating female, and then the chicks. This "division of labor" is very useful, and there is probably never any disagreement between the birds about it.

Rosy-cheeked (red-cheeked) lovebirds breed easily in captivity. To do this, they need a nest box with a square base 20 X 20 cm, height 22-25 cm and an entrance in the upper part of its front wall. This structure is essentially similar to the hollow tree in which lovebirds usually lay their eggs while living in the wild. The birds will make a nest inside the "hollow" themselves from torn strips of bark of linden or willow branches, which must be placed at the bottom of a large cage or aviary where parrots will breed. In clutch there are 2-5 white, almost round eggs. They are well protected inside the hollow or nest box from a variety of dangers. Apparently, this is why the chicks develop slowly (compared to open nesting birds). After the young birds become independent, they must be separated from their parents, otherwise the latter may kill them. Such are the cruel customs of these outwardly harmless creatures! Sometimes adult lovebirds damage the legs of their chicks: they begin to grab the fingers with their beak and bite them off. Wow, parents! But let's not condemn our pets from the animal world, whose behavior is often dictated by a cruel but rational instinct. Probably, young birds living in nature and driven away by their parents, at their very first “requirement”, would fly off to the required distance, and the aggressive actions of adults would end there. In a cramped cage or even an aviary, this is impossible. It is unlikely that in the wild in these birds it comes to causing serious injuries to each other.

Lovebirds behave just as aggressively towards birds of other species kept together with them in the same cage or aviary. With their beaks, pink-cheeked lovebirds can injure even a person. There were cases when they bit the blood of the guests who came to me, who inadvertently put their finger into the cage with the “cute bird” ...

However, these birds are characterized by behavior of a completely different nature. When keeping rosy-cheeked lovebirds in a small flock, one can observe their gentle, touching attitude towards each other. The birds, distributed in pairs, sort out each other's feathers. The male feeds the female, both birds together, at the same time, fly to the feeder or drink water. With the onset of puberty, the male only cares for his female, not paying attention to others.

It is better to breed lovebirds in spring and autumn, when it is not yet hot, but the daylight hours are sufficient and fresh greenery is plentiful. In late autumn, winter and mid-summer, it is recommended to remove nest boxes to stop laying eggs and incubating chicks. In the hot season and with low air humidity, the embryos in the eggs overheat and die. In winter, due to a lack of vitamins, chicks often grow weak, and death among them is more common.

Fortunately, this did not happen to my current pet at his chick age. Again I hear his sharp, piercing, but already so familiar to us all voice. Calls me to the cage; funny swings on his feet, as if dancing; nods his head up and down, obviously wants to talk ... I come up. I open the door. The parrot immediately sits on my arm, expresses complete bliss. However, the harmful nature of this bird suddenly manifests itself: the lovebird painfully bites my index finger. I indignantly say: "You can not bite!". The parrot quickly nods apologetically and tries to feed my innocently injured finger with freshly regurgitated grain from its own beak. These are the relationships...

The bird, as I pointed out earlier, is completely tame. The reason was that this lovebird was acquired by me at a very young age (2.5 months), was kept alone and therefore had to be guided by a person in his behavior.

The process of getting used to the lovebird to his new owner was very interesting. In the very first days in my house, the bird allowed itself to be taken in hand. About a week later, the lovebird began to climb onto my hand with the help of its beak and paws, lie down on my palm and cuddle up to it in anticipation of affection.

Interestingly, another lovebird of the same biological species that lived with me earlier behaved completely differently at the first stage of taming. At first, he was quite aggressive, biting hard when trying to pick him up. However, my patience and perseverance still paid off. After about three weeks, the young parrot was already perched on my finger without showing any signs of irritation.

These birds often climb the metal bars of the cage using their beak and feet; examine the various objects in it, hang with the help of their beaks on the wall of the cage. I note that this is generally characteristic of parrots of different species. It is no coincidence that some jokers call them "monkeys in feathers."

When released into the room from the cage, my current pet, having described an arc in the air, sits on my head and can stay there for quite a long time, looking around or sorting through the hair on the back of a person’s head. "Traveling" around the room, the bird with pleasure turns over various light objects, sometimes dropping them on the floor. With its tendency to manipulate objects, the parrot is very reminiscent of a small, but already very active child. Therefore, a bird flying freely around the room needs careful observation from its owner. Similar or other behavioral reactions of a parrot can be observed with great interest by anyone who keeps this peculiar bird at home. Manual lovebird very quickly wins the sympathy of all family members and becomes a favorite pet, like a cat or a dog.

LITERATURE

1. Akimushkin I.I. World of Animals: Birds. Fish, amphibians and reptiles. - M.: Thought, 1995. - 325 p.

2. Gusev V.G. Animals in our home: A reference guide. - M.: Ecology, 1992. - 366 p.

3. Ganzak Ya. Illustrated Encyclopedia of Birds / Ed. I. A. Neifeldt and P. M. Pozdnysheva. - Prague: Ed. Artiya, 1974. - 648 p.

4. Grinev V.A. Parrots: A reference guide. – M.: Timber industry, 1991.

5. Animal life. In 7 vols. T. 6. Birds / Ed. V.D. Ilyicheva, A.V. Mikheev. - M., Education, 1986. - 713 p.

6. Lukina E.V. Exotic birds in our house. - L .: Ed. Leningrad. Univ., 1986. - 296 p.

7. Rakhmanov A.I. Lovebirds. View overview. Content. Care. Treatment. - M.: AQUARIUM LTD, 2002. - 64 p.

8. Samusenko E.G. Friends of our home. - Minsk: Polymya, 1993. - 270 p.

9. Simonov B.A. Singing and ornamental birds. - Tashkent, Uzbekistan, 1977.

The parrot family has more than three hundred species of birds, many of which enter our homes as pets. One of the popular species is the pink-cheeked lovebird.

Those who want to get a parrot will be interested to learn about its appearance and character, as well as about the conditions of detention.

Description

The first to describe this species of birds was the French ornithologist, author of many works on birds, Louis Viejo.

Appearance and dimensions

At first glance, lovebirds differ little from other parrots, but their appearance has its own characteristic features:

• dimensions - 15–17 cm from beak to tail;
• weight 55–60 g;
• wingspan - about 25 cm;
• the main color of the species is a bright green body interspersed with bright blue feathers on the tail and black on the tips of the wings, the skin on the paws is light gray;
• a distinctive feature of the species is a bright pink spot covering the frontal part, cheeks and chest;
• beak - small, strongly bent down;
• the color of the beak is gray or yellowish.

Thanks to selection, many color variations have appeared:

• yellow;
• orange;
• spotted;
• lutino;
• blue.

Did you know? In Russian written sources, historians first discovered the word "parrot" in Boris Godunov's Inventory of Property. The document is dated 1589.

Temperament and intelligence

The lovebird can be aggressive towards other types of birds, so if you want to have several pets, it is better to get representatives of only this species. With other lovebirds, the bird is friendly and sociable.
Lovebirds are active and inquisitive - if you want to see an interlocutor in your pet, he should be the only feathered one in the house. Also note that males are better trained. A lone male will see a friend in a person and try to reproduce the sounds he heard from him, but a pair of birds will be exclusively busy communicating with each other.

The feathered energy will require a way out, so you will need to devote a significant part of your free time to the lovebird, as its name warns about. And so that he is not bored in your absence, you need to fill his cage with toys.

Distribution area and habitat

The parrot lives in African countries such as Namibia, South Africa, Angola. Birds gather in flocks and settle in any place where there is a source of water. During nesting, they form pairs, secluded in the hollows of old trees. These parrots, even wild ones, are not afraid of people, so they may well settle under the roof of a residential building.
Lovebirds live up to twenty years.

Reproduction in the natural environment

During the breeding season, the couple is formed under the influence of mutual sympathy. The arrangement of the nest is carried out exclusively by the female - she brings blades of grass and thin twigs, lining the bottom of the hollow or nest with them. The clutch consists of three to six eggs, the average incubation period is 21 days.

While the female warms the masonry, the second parent takes care of her, bringing food. Chicks appear at intervals of one or two days, blind and practically naked. Ten days later, the eyes open, and at the age of 29–31 days, their bodies are already completely covered with plumage.
After the chicks are born, both parents feed them. When the chicks learn to fly and are able to leave the house, adult guardianship ends, but not immediately - for two weeks the adult couple still looks after their offspring.

The main condition for comfort for birds is the availability of sufficient space for games, communication and relaxation, the pet should not be cramped.

Cell selection criteria:

• the most preferred shape is rectangular;
• dimensions - 100x50x70 cm;
• cage material - metal, plastic.

In the cage, you need to place a nesting house, stable and a drinking bowl, (ladder, wooden blocks, swings). It is also necessary to place several strong perches, and sprinkle sawdust or sand purchased at a pet store at the bottom of the dwelling. In addition, you need to put a mineral stone there - the bird will sharpen its beak on it, at the same time receiving useful substances.

Important! The design of the purchased cage should not contain inserts made of copper, lead, zinc: these metals are toxic to birds.

Care and hygiene

Lovebirds love to splash in the water - set a small but deep container for this purpose. The drinker and feeder should be cleaned from food debris daily. Once a month, disinfect the cage and household items with special products, then thoroughly rinse everything in clean water. It is also necessary to regularly remove the bedding layer and fill in a new one.
If sand or sawdust is not purchased at a pet store, they must first be carefully sieved and disinfected. Can be calcined or scalded with boiling water, then dried.

Feeding and water

To diversify the diet of lovebirds, it is advisable to hang two feeders on the cage - for dry grain mixtures and for wet and succulent feed.

You can give your pet the following foods:

Water for birds should be clean, passed through a household filter; you can also buy bottled water in supermarkets. It is useful to add a couple of drops of lemon juice to the drinker, no more than three a day.

Did you know? Parrots have inspired the work of many famous artists of the past and present. Frida Kahlo painted several self-portraits with birds, Melchior de Hondekuter, Alexei Belsky, Hunt Slonem, Robert Bateman have canvases with their image.

When purchasing one bird, keep in mind that she will need to devote a lot of time to communication. If you don’t have such an opportunity, you need to buy a couple of birds so that the pet does not wither away alone. Compliance with the rules for keeping birds, a balanced diet and active leisure, provided with games and fun in the cage, will prolong their life in your home and the joy of communicating with birds.

Video: how to distinguish a male from a female in lovebirds

Lovebirds (lat. Agapornis)- birds, hardly larger than a bullfinch, except that they are more tightly built. The color of all varieties of lovebirds is bright, the character is mischievous and friendly, and these cute birds are unpretentious in care.

The genus of lovebirds includes 9 species of birds, let's look at them in more detail:

Masked lovebird (Agapornis personatus). The natural habitat is Kenya and Tanzania. The size of the bird is small - up to 15 centimeters, the tail is about 4 cm. The color is bright: the feathers on the head are black, the abdomen, the upper back are green, the main color is yellow-orange, the beak is red, white spots around the eyes. The females have a brownish head.

photo: Masked lovebird

Rosy-cheeked lovebird (Agapornis roseicollis). It is most often found in the homes of bird lovers. This species is native to southwestern Africa. The pink-cheeked lovebird has an interesting color: the cheeks and neck of the bird are pink-orange, the forehead is bright pink, and the beak is light. The main part of the plumage is green; feathers of a bluish tint can be found on the back. Females are somewhat larger than males, otherwise both sexes are identical.

photo: Rosy-cheeked lovebird

Black-cheeked lovebird (Agapornis nigrigenis). It resembles masked lovebirds in color, but its size is much smaller - up to 13 centimeters. The head of the bird is gray, the upper part of the breast is orange-red, the beak is red. The feathers under the tail are black, the tail itself is green, like the rest of the body. This species of lovebird lives in the southwestern part of Zambia.

a photo: Black-cheeked inseparable to

Red-faced lovebird (Agapornis pullarius). The color of the parrot is grassy green, the inner part of the wing is black. "Mask" red-orange: forehead, nape, cheeks, part of the breast. In females, the plumage is yellowish-green, and the color of the head is closer to orange. Body length - up to 15 centimeters, tail - about 5.

photo: Red-faced lovebird

Fisher's lovebirds (Agapornis fischeri). A variety of masked lovebird. The plumage is green, the head is yellow-orange, the beak cere is red. The area above the tail is blue. The male differs from the female only in size: the female has a larger body and a wider beak. Natural habitat - northern Tanzania. Body length - up to 15 centimeters.

photo: Fischer's lovebirds

Grey-headed lovebird (Agapornis canus). The plumage on the back, tail and abdomen is green; the breast, head and neck are silver-gray in males, green in females. Males also differ in the color of the iris - it is dark brown in them, the beak is light gray. The body length of the parrot is about 14 centimeters, the lovebird lives in the Seychelles, Madagascar, Zanzibar, Mauritius.

photo: Grey-headed lovebird

Black-winged lovebird (Agapornis taranta). The largest species from the lovebird family, the body length of the bird is 16-17 centimeters. The main color is bright green, around the eyes of males the feathers are bright red, the forehead and beak are also red. The females have a green head. The lower part of the wings and feather edging are black. Lives in Ethiopia and Eritrea.

photo: Black-winged lovebird

Liliana's lovebirds (Agapornis lilianae). The color of these birds is very reminiscent of rosy-cheeked ones, however, the plumage on the forehead, neck, and beak is more similar in color to strawberries, which is why they are often called strawberry-headed. Around the eyes are white spots, the beak is red. The body itself is colored yellow-green, and the belly of the bird is light green, and the breast and nape are yellow, the upper part of the head and back is rich green. Natural habitat - east of Zambia, south of Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique.

photo: Liliana's lovebirds

Collared or Necklace Lovebird (Agapornis swindernianus). It is found in the central part of Africa, Nigeria, Liberia. The main color is green, the neck and heads are black, the beak is also black. An orange stripe runs along the neck of the bird, resembling a collar. On the breast, the plumage is yellow, and the feathers above the tail are bright, blue-blue. Body length - up to 13 centimeters, tail - about 3 cm.

photo: Necklace lovebird

Mostly lovebirds are kept in pairs or small flocks, they are easily tamed and do not cause much trouble. It is best to put the cage in a shaded place, away from drafts and heaters. It is advisable to release parrots to fly, stretch their wings. It is best to take chicks up to 3-4 months, it is easier for them to adapt to new conditions. It is worth remembering that if you want to teach a parrot to speak, you need to keep it alone, birds that live with their relatives are cool about classes. Lovebirds cannot be kept with other types of parrots, they are territorial. The size of the cage for one is 80x30x40 cm. Calcined sand or white paper is used instead of bedding. Drinkers, feeders must be securely attached to the bars of the cage. Put also a bath for bathing - lovebirds love water procedures, as well as a cup with calcined fine river sand, chalk and mineral supplements. Perches should be comfortable and not too wide, you can also put toys in the cage.

As for feeding, you can give pets a grain mixture (oats, millet, grass seeds, hemp and canary seeds, pumpkin, watermelon seeds), pieces of vegetables, fruits, greens, berries are also useful. Lovebirds breed easily in captivity, the birds must be of the same species, since the offspring obtained from interspecific crossing will be barren. The female lays 4-8 eggs, the incubation period is 3 weeks. After 8 weeks, the offspring becomes completely independent.

• Despite the beautiful legend, lovebirds can live alone. Even if a bird’s partner has died, another can be placed next to it (or him), and a new pair will form. Although it should be noted that in nature these birds do show fidelity;
• Lovebirds quickly get used to people, are not afraid of them, answer the call, copy various sounds;
• The British call these parrots "love birds", that is, "birds in love";
• The life expectancy of parrots is 10-15 years, they cannot be called centenarians.

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