Peach-faced Lovebird

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 This article needs additional citations for verification.
Please help improve this article by adding reliable references. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (April 2008)
Peach-faced Lovebird
Eating sunflower seeds
Eating sunflower seeds
Conservation status
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Psittaciformes
Family: Psittacidae
Genus: Agapornis
Species: A. roseicollis
Binomial name
Agapornis roseicollis
(Vieillot, 1818)
Native ranges in the Namib Desert and arid areas of Namibia and Angola
Native ranges in the Namib Desert and arid areas of Namibia and Angola

The Peach-faced Lovebird (Agapornis roseicollis), also known as the Rosy-faced Lovebird, is a species of lovebird native to arid regions in southwestern Africa such as the Namib Desert. A loud and constant chirper, these birds are very social animals and often congregate in small groups in the wild. They eat throughout the day and take frequent baths. Coloration can vary widely among populations but females are generally darker and greener, whilst males are smaller and brighter. Lovebirds are renowned for their sleep position in which they sit side-by-side and turn their faces in towards each other. Also, females are well noted to tear raw materials into long strips, "twisty-tie" them onto their backs, and fly distances back to make a nest.

Contents

[edit] Housing

Lovebirds, being an active bunch, need some room to move in their cage. A cage approximately 24" W x 14" D x 30" H (60 W x 35 D x 75 H cm) is a good size, but if you can afford it, the bigger the better. Make sure the bars are spaced no wider than 3/8" (1 cm) apart, otherwise your bird will be able to stick its head through the bars. Add a variety of perches, so your lovebird can exercise its feet to prevent arthritis. The perches should be at least 4" (10 cm) long and 1/2" (13 mm) in diameter. A variety of different toys placed in the cage may prevent a pet parrot from boredom and loneliness. The parrot's chewing and playing may break some toys and small detachable parts may be dangerous to the parrot.

[edit] Feeding

Peach-faced Lovebirds require a variety of foods, including vegetables, seeds, and fruits; nevertheless, some human foods are unsuitable or poisonous for them, including dairy products, chocolate, cheese, avocado, rhubarb, and strawberries (which contain trace amounts of carcinogenic pesticides). Perishable food that has been in placed in the birds housing for more than 24 hours is also likely to be unsuitable. Grapes, carrots, beans, squash, corn, millet, quinoa, winterwheat, are excellent foods. They can also eat various manufactured food pellets and pastas. Suitable seed and pellet mixes include a large array of different seed types.

[edit] Personality

Pet playing
Pet playing

Peach-faced Lovebirds get their name for their affection towards their owner or other birds. Lovebirds are very playful and love to have all the attention centered around them. If trained correctly, Peach-faced Lovebird will happily perch on your shoulder. All lovebirds are unique; they all have different temperaments. Some are calmer than others, while some are the most stubborn creatures you will ever meet. One thing you will find in every lovebird is that they need companionship. If you cannot provide attention, you will be suggested to purchase another one. But be warned: If you buy two lovebirds, they may not interact with you as much as if they were by themselves.

[edit] Dangers and toxins

[edit] Mutations

Main article: Peach-faced Lovebird colour genetics

Peach-faced Lovebirds have the widest range of colour mutations of all the Agapornis species. Generally speaking, these mutations fall into the genetic categories of Dominant, Co-dominant, Recessive, and Sex-Linked Recessive (referred to simply as "sex-linked"). While this seems fairly straight-forward, it can quickly become confusing when a single specimen has multiple examples of these mutational traits.

Colour varieties in aviculture

Wild type

Left: Wild type
Right: Lutino

Left: Wild type
Right: Pied Wild Green

Seagreen (also known as AquaTurquoise in Europe)

[edit] References

  • Luft, Stefan (2007): Parrots of Africa (1st edition). Halberstadt, Germany. ISBN 978-3833484452

[edit] External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: