|
|
Please Help Pets by Donating One Dollar
Understanding the different Types of Lovebirds
By: Petey & Petunia
There are 9 species of lovebirds, of which 8 are available as pets.
The most common lovebirds for pets are the peachfaced, masked,
and Fischers.
Dimorphic
1. Abyssinian Lovebird
2. Redfaced Lovebird
3. Madagascar Lovebird (Grayheaded)
Monomorphic (Similar)
1. Black cheeked Lovebired (Blackfaced)
2. Fischer's Lovebird
3. Masked Lovebird (Black Masked or Yellow collared)
4. Nyasa Lovebird (Lilian's)
5. Peachfaced Lovebird (Rosyfaced)
Characterized by Eye Rings:
Without Eye Rings:
1. Madagascar
2. Redfaced
3. Peachfaced
4. Abyssinian
With Eye Rings
1. Masked
2. Fischers
3. Nyasa
4. Black cheeked
Abyssinian Lovebirds
Abyssinian lovebirds are deep green, male has a red brow,
tail is black tipped, feathers below the tail show a yellowish glow,
rump and feathers above the tail are light green. Beak is
red, legs are gray.
In males the feathers under the wings are black, in females a
greenish or brown black. Males have a small reddish ring
around their eyes, females have no red on their face.
Males are more curious, brave and can be tamer than females.
Abyssinian lovebirds are sometimes called black winged lovebirds.
They are rare as pets.
Madagascar Lovebirds
Madagascar lovebirds have a green body, lighter underneath, green
tail with black feather tips, beak and legs are whitish gray,
The male has a light gray head, neck and breast area, females lack
this coloring.
The beak is much smaller in this breed compared to other lovebirds.
They are difficult to breed and only breed in November and December.
Madagascar lovebirds come primarily from the island by that name.
Our Peachfaced Lovebirds
Peachfaced Lovebirds
These lovebirds have a green body, bright red to soft pink face and bib and a
blue rump, beak is horn colored and legs are mottled gray. The underside
is somewhat a lighter green than the back. The male is somewhat
brighter than the female.
However, a number of color mutations occur frequently in peachfaced
lovebirds due to selective breeding. Eyes are brown and beak is yellow.
Peachfaced lovebirds are excellent breeders and raise 3 clutches
a season.
They are the largest of the lovebirds with the female slightly larger
than the male.
A Pied lovebird doesn't have the full red psittacine coloring, sometimes
are even found with no red at all. Body is a yellow with variegated
greens and greenish blues. Pied lovebirds differ dramatically from
one bird to the other in coloring.
Redfaced Lovebirds
Redfaced lovebirds are green with some yellow on the underside. The
forehead is red in males and a lighter orangish red in females.
Beak is scarlet and legs are a greenish grey. The narrow ring around the eyes
is white, yellow or blue. Rump is blue, covering tail feathers are
green, primary flight feathers have black tips, center tail feathers
are green.
Redfaced lovebirds are hard to breed as they much prefer termite
mounds for nests.
Black Cheeked Lovebirds
Black cheeked lovebirds have a green body with lighter green underparts,
forehead and front of the crown are dark brown, back of the crown is
light green, throat and cheeks are brownish black, tail is green,
the eye ring is white, eye is brown, beak is red, legs gray.
Black cheeked lovebirds are endangered in the wild. They are only
found in a region of Zimbabwe.
They are rare as pets.
Fischers Lovebirds
Fischers lovebirds have a green body and deep orange forehead,
cheeks and throat, bib and collar are yellow, green tail, white
eye ring, red beak, gray legs.
Fischers lovebirds are native to Tanzania
Masked Lovebirds
Masked lovebirds have a black head with yellow collar, throat and
chest are yellow tih an orangish red glow, body is mainly green,
rump is bluish and tail shows a black and red band before the ends
on the outer feathers, bill is red, legs gray, beak red, eye ring
is a wide white.
Masked lovebirds are native to Tanzania
Nyasa
Nyasa lovebirds have a green body with lighter green underparts
and rump, forehead and throat are reddish orange to pink color
on chheks and bib, tail is green, white eye ring, beak is red, legs
are grayish brown.
They are the smallest of the eye ring lovebirds.
Nyasa lovebirds are native to Tanzania and Malawi.
|
