Natural History of Lovebirds

Lovebirds have long fascinated people both in the wild and in captivity. The first image conjured up when most people think about these lovebirds is of a pair snuggling closely together on a branch. Their tendency to sit in pairs mutually preening each other led to genus name Agapornis, which comes from the Greek agape (love) and ornis (bird). The French call them 'les inseperables', or the inseparables, a further testament to their affectionate nature. While affection between compatible pairs can be a joy to watch, lovebirds can be quite territorial and will defend their nest and living space against other lovebirds of the same or different species. Understanding their basic nature will help pet owners and breeders create the most harmonious home possible for these delightful birds.

From the woodlands of the island of Madagascar to the coastal plains of Southwest Africa, north to the highlands of Ethiopia dwell the nine species of lovebird, each in its own distinct geograpical area. Lovebirds are parrots. This often comes as a surprise to those investigating the possibility of purchasing one as a pet. The hooked beak and the zygodactyl feet (two toes face foward, two backward) are characteristics of the Psittaciformes order of lovebirds. Because they are parrots, they have the ability to mimic, although they are not as famous for this ability as are budgerigars, African grey parrots, and Amazon parrots. The genus Agapornis comprises nine genetically and geographically distinct species. Seven of these fit into two basic groups. The eye-ring species include masked, Fischer's, Nyasa, and black-cheecked lovebirds. The sexually dimorphic species include Abyssinian, Madagascar, and redfaced lovebirds. Two species fall into their own distinct groups: the peachfaced lovebird and the Swindern's or Swinderen's lovebird.

The general characteristics of the genus are a small, stocky build with a short, blunt tail and beak that is proportionally large for their body size. Eight of the species come from the mainland of Africa. the ninth, Madagascar lovebirds, hail from the island of Madagascar off the eastern coast of southern Africa.

The nine species are separated in the wild by geography. For this reason, they should not be interbred. Doing so creates hybrids, a bird that is neither one species nor the other. Because of strict rules on importation of wild-caught speciments of Agapornis, the various species must be kept separate and distinct or we run the risk of losing a true wild-type specimen in aviculture.
The first lovebirds were brought to Europe during the eighteenth century when exploration of Africa by Europeans began to reach its peak. Europeans delighted in the brightly colored, chattering pairs of lovebirds.

Source: Lovebird Lovers