The plumage of a lovebird. All about lovebirds. Caring for lovebirds at home

Most people around the world are fond of parrots. Some contain them for the soul, others in order to be closer to nature. People train birds to talk, to perform various actions on a team. For urban residents, such a pastime helps to distract from work in stuffy office rooms and learn how to enjoy life. Particular attention among lovers of poultry is caused by lovebirds, because their maintenance does not require tremendous effort.

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Lovebird parrots are very popular birds among domestic birds. From other representatives of parrots they are distinguished by a stocky body with bright plumage. Coloring of parrots can be of a wide variety of colors such as: light green, blue, pink, red, yellow, green. The beak of these parrots is thick and bent. The color of the beak depends on what species the parrot belongs to and can be light yellow or red. Lovebirds are similar in size to sparrows or bullfinches. The length of the parrots is 10–17 cm, the wings are about 4 cm, and the tail is 6 cm long. The weight of these birds is also small and amounts to 40–60 g.

The legs of these parrots smallbut despite this, the birds are very mobile and agile. From the name it can be concluded that parrots prefer to live in pairs and are very attached to each other. But they can also live separately, and in the event of the death of one of the parrots, the second continues its full life.

Types of lovebird parrots

There are 9 types:

Wildlife Lifestyle

In their natural habitat, mainly in Africa and Madagascar, the parrots live in small groups. Birds love to stay close to water. When flying, parrots emit bizarre, sharp screams, flying at great speed. The nutrition of parrots includes both plant food in the form of small berries and various seeds, and animal food in the form of larvae and small bugs.

Lovebirds prefer settle in hollows or in the spaces between the roots of trees. Parrots are not averse to settle in the ready nests of other birds, such as heron and stork. Females build houses and hatch eggs. It is the responsibility of the males to feed the females and the hatched chicks. Female parrots lay 4 to 6 eggs, of which after about 3 weeks chicks hatch.

Lovebands care and maintenance

With proper care and maintenance, parrots lovebirds in a cage can live up to 20 years. Care does not require much effort, because these birds are unpretentious even to the composition of the feed. In one cage the birds get along only with their appearance. Parrots behave very aggressively with other birds and are even able to kill larger birds.

If you decide to have lovebirds, you should know a few features:

Room

The room in which the parrot is supposed to be kept should be bright, warm with no drafts, and also with good ventilation. In urban conditions, birds are often kept in their apartments. Parrots are also kept in the garden, where in the summer parrots can be kept outdoors, and in winter indoors.

There must be a retractable bottom in the cells, so cleaning will turn into an easy task. The pallet is better to choose metal or aluminum, rather than wooden. This will increase its service life, because plywood will quickly rot from the water that parrots spray.

An important equipment for the cage will be a feeder and a drinking bowl. Putting them side by side is not recommended, as water can wet and spoil dry food. Both are not recommended to be placed directly under the chaffs, otherwise bird droppings can get into food or water. For the feeding trough and drinking bowl, special containers or ordinary glass jars can be used.

Bottom cells must be lined with sawdust or a layer of purified river sand. In no case can you use newspapers, because the paint applied to them is very harmful to birds. It is also undesirable to use ordinary writing paper.

Where to put the cage?

The cage should be placed at eye level and mainly near the wall, thanks to this, the birds will feel safe. The cage should be away from various electrical appliances, because their radiation can harm birds.

Ensuring a healthy lifestyle:

Breeding parrots

If the owner wants to breed parrots at home, then he should know which species is best suited for this purpose. For breeding, the pink-cheeked look of parrots is best suited, Fisher's mask and lovebird are less suitable.

To successfully breed parrots is necessary:

Choose the right pair.
Provide thorough care.
Pay special attention to the parrot at the time of nestling.

Possible diseases

It is quite difficult to cure a budgie and any disease often leads to its death, therefore, to prevent such situations, it is necessary to provide proper care for the birds and create all conditions for a comfortable existence.

Lovebird parrot- Inhabitant of Madagascar and adjacent territories of Africa. A colorful and funny parrot of small size - from 10 to 17 cm, well getting used to a person, which is why they are popular among parrot lovers. The lovebird got its name due to the way of life - they live in large packs, in pairs. If the lovebird parrot found a mate, it can be said with certainty that the mate remains faithful to each other throughout life. There is a beautiful legend: if you separate the existing pair of lovebirds, then one by one they will soon die. But this is just a legend, in fact it is not. A couple of lovebirds are very interesting not only for their strong bonds, but also for their behavior - when building a nest, many types of lovebirds do not transfer building material in their beaks or paws, like many other parrots, but stick grass and twigs in their feathers. A nest building lovebird in flight looks like a small haystack. Unlike many other parrots, lovebirds make their nests from twigs and blades of grass, so they don’t need to file sawdust in the nest box, instead they need to give thin willow branches that they will split into fibers and from them they will nest in the nest box itself .

Lovebirds it looks very beautiful, plumage is very bright with a predominance of green. Parts of the body, such as: head, neck, chest, are often painted in different colors, depending on the type. Often these are blue, red, green and yellow. In addition, lovebirds, like budgies, due to their unpretentiousness in keeping, have long been an object of breeding, and this has enriched the color palette with colors like brown, various shades of blue, gray.

The life of a lovebird is 15-20 years. In general, a parrot the size of a wavy parrot grows, although due to its short tail and dense physique it sometimes looks larger, but in terms of its beauty, interesting social behavior, it surpasses many birds in its class.

The lovebird's beak is very powerful and strong for its size. The bird is jealous in nature, when kept in an aviary with other species of birds, one can fear that the lovebird seriously injures another bird with its beak, even exceeding it in size. If you keep the bird with your couple, then you can not be afraid, they live peacefully with their relatives.

In nature, there are nine different types of lovebirds:
1. Strawberry-headed lovebirdalso called lovebird liliana.
2. Green-winged lovebird or collar lovebird.
3. Black-winged lovebird.
4. Pink-cheeked lovebird.
5. Fisher's lovebird.
6. Gray-headed lovebird.
7. Mask lovebird.
8. Black Cheeked Lovebird.
9. Orange-headed lovebird or red-faced lovebird.
Lovebird Pictures, you can look on our website or on the Internet.

Unfortunately, lovebirds are practically impossible to learn, it is rarely seen that lovebird parrot talking. In any case, if you keep lovebirds in a pair or group, then to tame, moreover, to teach the conversation will not work, no matter how you try. Nevertheless, the lovebird parrot speaks and is able to learn about 10-15 words with a persistent and patient approach. In addition, only tamed birds are capable of learning. The hand parrot is very sociable. He is sincerely glad to talk with his master, is distinguished by devotion and is very bored, being alone. Learning to talk to a lovebird should start from 1 month of life, at a more adult age the bird will perceive your lessons less, because even in difference, for example, from budgies, the lovebird will learn one word 2 times longer.

Lovebird Cage must be spacious so that the parrot has the opportunity to do a “warm-up” - flap wings, straighten them. Parrots often gnaw at the rods of the cage, so they should not be stained or assembled on a wooden frame. If you are going to buy a couple of lovebirds, then you need to consider the size of the cage for two birds, as well as accessories for bird care.

Lovebird Food - the best prepared feed mixture sold in pet stores and preferably imported. But you should pay attention to the feed was with an unexpired shelf life. Expired feed becomes stale, mold appears on it, which often can not be seen with the naked eye. In the greenery of lovebirds, you can not limit. It is recommended to give leaves and flowers of dandelion, wood lice, clover. Before serving the parrot should be washed well with water. Additional components of the diet are fruits, herbs, carrots. From fruits and vegetables you can give peaches, pineapple, carrot, apple, bananas, apricot, kiwi, mango, melon, sweet pepper, cauliflower, cherry, pears, oranges, pomegranate, grapefruit, tangerines, plums, grapes, radishes, turnips, broccoli (inflorescences and leaves), cucumbers, nuts (walnuts), mountain ash.

Not recommended: mango, papaya, persimmon and avocado, they are harmful to lovebirds. In addition, you should beware of giving candied fruits, as well as vegetables from dishes in which they are usually salted and saturated with fat.

Since the lovebirds are tireless rodents, they need to be given young branches so that they can grind their beak and take up free time. Please note that the branches are cut from places that are not contaminated with exhaust or toxic substances, rinse the branches with boiling water before giving them to the birds. The branches of fruit trees of different diameters are optimal (the main thing is that the wood does not contain resins).

Lovebirds love to swim, so they need to provide this opportunity, especially during breeding. At low humidity, the eggs will not develop.

On a day for lovebirds, 2-3 teaspoons of feed is enough. Young lovebirds eat more than adults. Make sure that the adult bird does not overeat, limit to 4 tablespoons of food. If a bird eats a lot, it is fraught with obesity, in the end everything can end in disastrous.

As you can see, there’s nothing complicated about caring for lovebirds. If you decide to buy this wonderful bird, you will make yourself a good friend who will delight you as much as you do him. Most importantly, do not buy birds in shops and markets, find a private breeder who sells manual lovebirds at the age of one to two months.

For centuries, people living in different parts of our planet are happy to breed parrots. There are such lovers in Russia. In their free time, people of various professions teach these birds "conversation" and various tricks. For citizens, such leisure activities serves as a kind of substitute for close communication with nature, bringing genuine joy.

Especially popular among fans of feathered pets are lovebird parrots, care and maintenance (photo of birds see below) which do not require much effort.

These parrots are a real decoration of the room. They are cheerful and very mobile. And their breeding, in addition to great emotional pleasure, expands the volume of knowledge about wildlife.

Genus characterization

Lovebirds, or Agapornis, are very popular house birds. In the order of parrots they form a separate genus.

Each of the representatives of nine species of inseparable parrots has a stocky body decorated with plumage of a predominantly bright grassy color. However, some subspecies have feathers of blue, pink, green, red or yellow color. The beak of these birds is thick and strongly bent. It, depending on the species, may be straw or bright red. Lovebirds are similar in size to sparrows or bullfinches.

Their very name confirms that birds forming one pair are distinguished by a special affection for each other. These parrots are always next to each other, but the opinion that one of them dies after the death of his partner is wrong.

Lifestyle

For those who wish to decorate their leisure activities with such birds as lovebirds, it is recommended to study the care and maintenance of these birds in advance. You need to know what the way of life of these birds in the wild is.

In their homeland, which is the territory of Madagascar and Africa, lovebirds keep in small flocks, living close to the water. Such parrots fly quickly, making sharp cries in the air. Lovebirds' diet includes small seeds and various berries that they find on trees, in bushes, or directly on the ground. They feed on birds and animal feed in the form of insects and larvae, which makes it possible to feed them when kept at home with dolls of flour crust and

Lovebirds prefer forests and savannahs, on whose territory they settle between the roots of trees or in hollows, as well as in the bases of nests of large birds (storks, herons, etc.), arranging "separate apartments" there. The female is engaged in the construction of the dwelling. It also has the responsibility of hatching eggs. Males take care of feeding females and chicks. In clutch of parrots is from 4 to 6 eggs. After 19-21 days of hatching, chicks are born.

Parrots at home

For 20 years, lovebirds placed in a cage can live. Maintenance and care are simple. Ptahs are undemanding not only to the conditions created for them, but also to the composition of the feed. Lovebirds living in cells or in aviaries can be successfully bred. The best seasons for this are autumn and spring, when there is still no heat, but daylight hours are already long enough.

If you lovebird parrots live in your cage (we consider care and maintenance), keep in mind that these birds do not get along with other birds. This is aggressive and capable of destroying even those birds that are larger in size.

Types of Lovebirds

Two subgroups are distinguished from the genus of these parrots. The first of them includes lovebirds having a white periorbital ring. In the second group are birds that do not have a similar color.

In total, nine are distinguished, including Fischer's lovebird and gray-headed, black-cheeked and strawberry-headed, orange-headed and masked, green-winged, pink-cheeked and black-winged.

Parrot cages

If you like lovebirds, the content and care of which you decide to carry out in your home, then there will certainly arise a number of questions, the answers to which you can find in this article. First of all, you need to think in which room the cage with birds will stand. It should be borne in mind that this should be a room with good ventilation, bright, warm and dry, in which there are no drafts.

Urban residents most often keep lovebirds in their apartments or build enclosures for them in attics. The one who has a personal plot, in the warm season, has birds directly in the open air, and in winter transfers them to a warm room.

Where else can lovebirds be placed? The maintenance and care of these parrots is carried out in cells made of synthetic materials (getinaksa, organic glass, etc.). Such facilities are hygienic, beautiful and not affected by chemicals. However, they are flammable, and are also afraid of high temperature and hot water. But in general, they are quite comfortable to carry the birds, which are lovebirds, care and maintenance. The reviews of the owners of these birds confirm that their strong beaks are not able to destroy such materials.

Cage equipment

What should be provided for in a facility containing lovebirds? Care and maintenance must be carried out in cells with pallets (extendable bottom). This design will greatly facilitate the work of cleaning the house for birds. It is best if the pallet is made of iron or sheet aluminum. The plywood bottom will quickly decay from the water scattered by the parrots.

Also in the cage should be a feeding trough and a drinking bowl. They should not be placed side by side to avoid wetting of the feed, as well as under the poles, as in this case bird droppings can get into the contents of the containers. For drinking bowls and feeders can be used in various containers (jars, salt shakers, ditches for photographs, etc.).

At the bottom of the cell must be sawdust or a layer of clean river sand. Do not put newspapers on it, because printing ink is harmful to birds. Not suitable for these purposes and the usual Lovebirds very quickly tear it into small parts.

Cell location

Where should the building be located in which the lovebirds will live? Care and maintenance will be optimal if the cage is placed at eye level. It should be a place near the wall. Only in this case will the birds feel safe. The cage should be installed away from batteries, refrigerators, monitors and televisions, computers and microwave ovens. All of these devices can harm the bird.

Ensuring Healthy Sleep

If your apartment has lovebirds, care and maintenance at home will require them to create comfortable conditions in the dark. For this, the cage with parrots needs to be covered. This will allow the lovebirds not to shy away from sudden light, for example, from the headlights of a car passing under the windows.

Owners of parrots should know that birds need to sleep in the summer of 10 hours, and in winter - 12. People need less time for a night's rest, therefore, covering the cage, you can safely continue to watch TV.

If, despite all the precautions, something scared the lovebirds at night, then you need to turn on the light, open the cover and wait until the bird calms down.

Sunbathing

What measures should be taken to ensure that the lovebirds living in your house are healthy? Care and maintenance (see photo below) must be carried out, taking the cage with them in fine weather to the balcony or the street.

The sun's rays, falling on the bird, contribute to the production of vitamin D in its body. During this procedure, part of the cell should be covered with a blanket. This will give your feathered friend an opportunity to hide in the shade. When the parrots take sunbaths, it is necessary to protect them from contact with wild birds, which can become sources of infectious infections for pets.

Bathing

Lovebirds can take water procedures as much as they want. It is only necessary to ensure that during bathing the birds in the room are warm and there are no drafts. Parrots can also be worn in the bathroom. They will be happy to run under the gentle pressure of the soul.

Nutrition

The usual food for lovebirds is 2-3 teaspoons of grain mix, which is given to the birds during the day. It is worth remembering that young parrots eat more, but you need to make sure that they do not overeat. Their portion should not exceed four teaspoons per day. To feed the birds in the cage, you can hang millet spikelets or honey crackers. In this case, the volume of the mixture will need to be reduced.
In addition to the main grain feed, it is recommended that lovebirds give fruits and vegetables. They are rubbed on large graters, hung in the form of garlands, attached to a cell on a clothespin, etc.

It is recommended to offer porridge from millet and buckwheat, barley and rice to lovebirds. They are boiled in water without added sugar and salt. You can add a little grated carrot, honey, vegetable or fruit puree to the porridge. Useful for legumes due to the rich content of protein in them. However, they must be pre-soaked in several waters and boiled for an hour.

Parrots can get all the necessary vitamins, minerals and fiber from fresh herbs, which should also be present in the diet. Ptahs with pleasure eat leaves of spinach and young nettle, dandelion and lettuce. Lovebirds can also be given shoots of wood lice, which grows in moist places. Parrots need only high-quality food, which is free from dust and impurities.

Breeding

Lovebird parrots (care and maintenance, breeding of these birds we describe) - amazingly beautiful birds. Experienced and persistent lovers can even try to bring out their new varieties, characterized by unusual feather coloring.

The most successful in the cells is the pink-cheeked species of parrots. It is more difficult to achieve this from masked and According to the reviews of bird lovers, it is most difficult to get offspring from other species of these parrots. But in any case, the owner of the birds needs to know what kind of lovebirds require care and maintenance.

Reproduction of birds occurs subject to certain conditions:

Careful preparation for the nesting period;
- the correct selection of the pair;
- nesting support;
- the manifestation of attention and care for parrots while hatching eggs and feeding chicks;
- compliance with all rules for the care of offspring.

Lovebird diseases

It is quite difficult to rid a budgie of an ailment. The treatment of birds is complicated by the fact that the symptoms of the pathology do not appear immediately, but when it is too late. Due to the fact that the diseases of the lovebirds are fleeting, the bird dies. That is why it is so important to ensure proper care and maintenance that will become the prevention of many pathologies.

Two cute little parrots snuggled into each other and gently sorted out the feathers. Of course, you probably watched this picture, if not at the pet store or in the bird market, then with friends for sure. Interest in Lovebirds is growing every day, but few people know the features of these birds, and indeed their information. Unscrupulous sellers of many claim that at home they differ little from ordinary budgerigars and thereby mislead people. If you want to know the whole truth about these birds, then take a fascinating journey into the world of Lovebirds with us.

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Characteristic

Lovebirds are medium-sized parrots that are similar in size to a bullfinch. They live in large numbers in the nature of Africa and on the island of Madagascar. They got their beautiful name thanks to a very rare feature in the world of birds - to choose one pair for life. They are very faithful parrots, therefore they even make up such a legend that they cannot live without their couple. It is said that in the event of the death of one, the second feathered also dies of longing.

In the wild, as at home, you can often watch how the lovebird parrots sit in the nest, clinging to each other. Males are very attentive “husbands”, therefore they often clean feathers for their spouse and feed from their beak.

In the wild, these birds settle in tropical forests, but there are also mountain and even steppe species. They prefer to live in large flocks, often in conflict with other groups over territorial possessions. In nature, quite a few species are distinguished, but in captivity, as a rule, only three main species are bred: Pink-cheeked, Masked and Black-cheeked. These parrots are easy to tame.

Appearance

Lovebirds have an attractive appearance, they are small, on average about 12-15 cm in length, and the weight rarely exceeds 50 grams. They have a fairly large head and a compact body, the tail is short and slightly rounded. The beak is very strong and strong, can cause serious wounds. Legs, although short, but also strong, so parrots run well and climb trees. The main color of the feathers is green, but certain parts of the body, for example, the head, neck, chest, may have a different color depending on the species.

that Lovebirds die after the death of a couple is only partly true; it is proved that many species can live alone or a second time to create a good family;
nests are made in tree hollows; therefore, for breeding birds at home, artificial hollows must be made;
in some species, males build nests, and in some, females;
some types of Lovebirds carry nest material in their beaks, like all birds, and some thrust branches and blades of grass under feathers, for example, on the chest or under the feathers of wings;
Lovebirds are easy to tame if you handle them carefully and carefully.

Species features of exotic birds

Today, artificially derived quite a lot of species of these parrots. They all differ both in coloring and in the presence of certain ornaments (crests), feathers. When choosing a species, one must take into account not only external features, but also the intricacies of care and maintenance. Many species differ in individual requirements and character.

In total, the genus of these birds includes nine species. In our country, Mask Lovebird, Fischer and the Rose-cheeked have received the most popularity. The rest so far are found only among breeders and special connoisseurs of exotic parrots.

Kinds

Title	A photo	a brief description of
Pink-cheeked		The most unpretentious in leaving, therefore the pink-cheeked Lovebird is most often bred in captivity. His homeland is Southwest Africa. In Europe, the species was first bred in 1869. They differ in some red marks on the forehead, as well as orange-pink on the cheeks and throat. Judging by the reviews, there are very conflicting and pugnacious birds, so you can only keep one or a couple in a separate cage.
Masked		Masked Lovebird is also very popular due to its color. They live in Mozambique and Zambia, settle in the steppes. They got to Europe late - only in 1927, but to Russia only in the 50s. As you can see in the photo, the color of their feathers is different, there are dark brown marks. And around the eyes there are some areas without feathers, which creates the illusion of a mask. Female and male practically do not differ.
Fisher's lovebird		Fisher’s lovebird is one of Maskov’s subspecies, brought from Tanzania in 1927. In captivity, breed hard, poorly build a nest. Differ in dark green plumage with color marks. Around the eyes, like the masked Lovebird, these birds have white rings. Females are slightly larger than males.
Gray-headed		This species lives in Madagascar, as well as in Africa. It has been known in Europe since 1872. This is the smallest species of all Lovebirds, the body length does not exceed 14 cm. As can be seen in the photo, their head, neck and chest are gray, for which the birds got their name. In captivity, they almost never breed and do not build a nest.
Black winged		The black-winged lovebird lives in the highlands of Ethiopia, easily tolerate the harsh climate. In our country, the species is known recently and is not very popular. Differs in reserved color. Of all species, the Black Winged Lovebird is the largest.
Black-cheeked		Another subspecies of Maskovy who lives in Zambia. In captivity, they live well and breed. They have dark plumage and bright marks, as well as glasses around the eyes.
Strawberry head		Also a subspecies of Masked Lovebird, in captivity, breeds poorly, although it is popular. They differ in small size and red marks on the head and neck. Also have wide white rings around the eyes.

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Home breeding and breeding

Lovebirds, although unpretentious parrots, however, also require certain knowledge in the care and maintenance at home. An inept approach can bring to many diseases of birds and their death. Perhaps the most important rule will be the correct selection of the bird, and the choice of housing for it.

Cells

The basic rule in the maintenance of Lovebirds at home is to provide them with the necessary space. Many people mistakenly think that for a small bird, a small cell is quite suitable. However, it is not. Despite their size, Lovebirds are very mobile and active birds, so they need space. It can be kept both in a cage and in an aviary, but the minimum size of a house for one couple should be at least 60x40x50 cm.

The lack of space causes obesity in parrots and causes many diseases. Even being on a diet, reviews say, it does not help improve the condition of birds.

Another very important point is proper lighting. It is worth remembering that Lovebirds come from warm countries where daylight hours are very long. Therefore, they need to be kept in open enclosures or open mesh cages with additional artificial lighting. An ordinary lamp for 15-25 watts is perfect. You can put a cage near the window with a curtain, just make sure that there are no drafts. However, if you are interested in the cultivation of Lovebirds, then the presence of an ultraviolet lamp will be a prerequisite for successful rearing of chicks.

As for the cage itself, an all-metal version of a rectangular shape with a retractable bottom would be ideal. However, it is important to remember that Lovebirds do not have to be locked up all the time, they need to move enough. Several times a day, they can be released to fly around the room without having to close the cell door. From the inventory you will need a bath for bathing, a drinking bowl, two bowl-shaped feeders (for dry and wet food), a pole for sitting. As toys, bring the birds cones, young twigs, pieces of tree bark, you can hang a rocker or a bell.

Singing

Lovebirds, judging by the reviews, are very vociferous birds, and their singing mesmerizes with musicality. If you want to see this yourself, then feel free to enjoy our audio recordings. Many say that the singing of these parrots resembles being in a tropical jungle. If you tame the birds to your hands, then they can sing at the sight of the owner.

Feeding

The digestion of parrots is quite intense, so Lovebirds need to be fed all the time. Even not prolonged fasting can lead to the death of the bird. However, birds are prone to obesity, so you need to choose the right diet and its balance.

Vegetable feed

Plant food is the basis of the food of Lovebirds. This group can be divided into two components: juicy and cereal. Up to 70% of the total diet should be occupied by grain, while the mandatory and necessary is simply, without which the parrots will hurt. You can also feed without millet millet, oats, corn, wheat, peas, sunflower seeds. Juicy foods include leaves, herbs, root crops and fruits.

It is important not only to choose the right diet and cook the food correctly. For example, millet porridge with carrots and beets is good to cook from millet. Wheat is best sprouted, corn is crushed and added to the grain mixture in an amount of 20%, the peas are steamed or boiled. Of the goodies, Lovebirds very much like hemp and flax seeds, boiled potatoes, cabbage, cucumbers, apples.

All juicy fruits and vegetables are given either in grated form or in small slices. It can also be mashed potatoes from a different mixture. Additional ingredients of the diet can be greens, cottage cheese, eggs, mineral nutrition. Feed the birds should be on time, but the grain mix and mineral feed in the cage should always be.

Breeding

For successful breeding birds are allowed at the age of one year and older. It is very important to prepare a couple in order to get healthy offspring. It is important to create all conditions so that the birds build a nest, the female lays eggs. As a rule, when the procedure is carried out correctly, 5-6 eggs appear in the nest, the female sits on the masonry from 19 to 22 days, hatches well. Read more about budgerigar breeding and nest preparation in our next publications.

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Video " Lovebird Parrots»

In this video we suggest you find out more information about feathered friends from the zoo.

Compact size, beautiful color, the ability to tame and nest in a cage - all these lovebirds are attractive for fans of poultry farming. These parrots are unpretentious, but this does not mean that care can be taken carelessly. If the birds are poorly maintained, they begin to hurt and may die, therefore, before acquiring a parrot, it is important to get acquainted with its habits and behavior, especially the care and maintenance.

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Description

Lovebirds are the most common indoor parrots after budgies. They belong to the beak parrots, so named for the glossy surface of the beak. The name was given to the lovebirds for the special affection of the male and female, which remains until the death of one of the birds.

Appearance

All types of lovebirds are outwardly similar. These are small squat birds, of strong build, large-headed, with a powerful beak, short paws and a rounded tail.

The predominant color is green. The head, throat, neck and tail are painted in bright colors. Lives in captivity until the age of 20.

Lifestyle

Lovebirds live in Africa and Madagascar. Birds eat small seeds and grains, causing damage to agriculture. In West Africa, the lovebird is a serious corn pest.

Lovebirds never bring food to the mouth with a paw, unlike other parrots.

In nature, lovebirds nest in hollows or crevices. In a number of African areas, they began to settle in villages and suburbs, nesting under the roofs of houses. Some lovebirds use public weaver buildings for nesting, occupying separate cells in them.

Female nests are built, bringing parts of plants to the crevice or hollow. They do not use beak for carrying, but plumage on the tail. Female lovebirds lay up to six eggs, incubate them themselves. Chicks are fed mainly by males.

Character, habits

The bird flies well, making sharp cries in flight, quickly moving along branches, cages and the ground. In nature, parrots live in packs, breaking up into pairs that last for life. The male and female are constantly near, they never move away from the partner beyond the limits of audibility.

Flocking does not exclude disagreements between individuals and individual couples. In nature, after the conflict, one of the birds flies away, and then returns to the group, as if nothing had happened. In an aviary or cage, it is difficult for a flock to get along without quarrels, so they are usually kept in pairs.

Kinds

Among lovers, the most popular lovebirds are the pink-cheeked, masked and Fisher. Collectors have black-winged and gray-headed ones. The remaining species are almost not kept in captivity.

Black winged

The largest species, some individuals weigh 70 g. It easily nests in captivity, but due to the dim color, lovers are not much interested in it. The feathers of the wings at the ends are black, the body color is mainly green, the beak is raspberry. Males differ from females in a red forehead.

The birds are calm, not angry, they scream very rarely - mostly twitter. Well tolerated cell-aviary content.

Homeland - Ethiopia, where they live on cold hills. Adapted to a cool climate, they tolerate even small frosts, if only there are no drafts. Birds can be kept in outdoor enclosures from early spring to mid-autumn - they easily tolerate night-time cooling.

The female incubates eggs for 18-20 days. Chicks begin to fly in 6-7 weeks.

Rosy cheek

It lives in Africa. The most common view among amateurs. The length of birds reaches 17 cm. When solitary, they quickly become tame, able to pronounce up to 10 words.

Adult birds are colored green, forehead red, pink throat. Bill is pale yellow, tail feathers are red. The color of the females is less pronounced, and the red spot on the forehead is smaller.

The chicks are painted darker and more nondescript. The beak is black and becomes completely light at 3 months. A red stripe on the forehead appears after the first molt in life - by the fifth month. Young people acquire full coloring at the age of 8 months.

Birds actively protect the territory. Hatching eggs, they bite even the owner. Parrots are best kept in pairs in separate cells.

Incubation lasts 21-23 days. Chicks begin to fly at the age of 5-6 weeks. After another 2 weeks they become independent. Until this time, the male feeds them, and the female prepares for the next egg laying.

Spectacled (masked)

Lives in East Africa. It differs from other lovebirds with a black head, yellow neck and chest. In captivity, various color variations are bred. It is considered the most beautiful among lovebirds.

Coloring: around the eyes are white circles of bare skin (“glasses”), the beak is red. The wings are dark green with black ends. Head with a velvet sheen, black, on the sides and throat plumage orange-yellow. The back, abdomen and part of the tail feathers are green. Body length up to 15 cm. Male and female do not differ in color.

Hatching lasts 20-26 days. After 7-8 weeks, the chicks become independent.

Fisher's lovebird

A subspecies of a mask lovebird, from which it differs not in black but in yellow-green coloring of the head. In the wild, lives in the vicinity of Lake Victoria (Africa).

Body length 15 cm. The color of males and females is identical. The female can be distinguished by a larger size, wider head and base of the beak.

Hatching lasts 22-24 days. Chicks leave the house at the age of 35-38 days.

In captivity, the following color variations are bred:

white
yellow;
blue
clarified.

Red-faced (red-cheeked, orange-cheeked)

Homeland - Guinea, Sudan, Uganda, Angola. The red-cheeked lovebird is a typical inhabitant of savannahs and dense forests. It is rarely kept in captivity.

The plumage is emerald. Tail coverts are blue. The female has an orange head, and the body is yellowish-green. The beak is bright red. Body length 15 cm.

The female lays eggs in the termite, building a tunnel, at the end of which there is a nesting chamber. At its bottom, the female folds leaves and pieces of bark.

The species is not suitable for breeding in cells. Birds need an appropriate location for nesting. You can propagate them in aviaries by folding a slide of pressed peat.

Green-headed (collar)

Homeland - African continent. Body length - no more than 13 cm. Coloring is plain. On the neck there is a strip, the belly is lighter than the back, the beak is grayish, the feathers on the tail are ultramarine.

Gray-headed

Homeland - Madagascar, Zanzibar, Mauritius, Comoros. At home, they are very rarely kept.

Body length - 14 cm. Modest color - the body is green with a light gray neck and chest. The female is yellowish-green, without gray marks. The beak is very neat, gray, small. The eyes are dark brown.

Masonry incubation lasts 22 days. Chicks begin to fly at the age of 35-38 days, being in the first days under the tutelage of the male.

Lovebird Liliana

A rare species that lives in Southeast Africa. Body length up to 15 cm. It is similar in color to pink-cheeked, but the face and chest are painted brighter. Outwardly, the male does not differ from the female.

Cases of reproduction in the cells have not been recorded, occasionally reproduce in spacious enclosures. The egg incubation period is 21-24 days.

On average, 3 out of 4 chicks die for unknown reasons before the first molt. The brood is deposited in another cell at the age of 50-55 days.

Black cheek

View from Zambia. The bird is very graceful. Body length 14 cm. Coloring like a mask lovebird, but the head is lighter, and under the mask there is a bunch of orange feathers. Birds of both sexes are colored the same.

Incubation lasts an average of 23 days. The first flight from the nest occurs at the age of 38-40 days. For another two weeks, the male continues to feed the chicks.

Budgie selection

If there is no experience in keeping lovebirds, it is better to get rosy-cheeked - they are more hardy and unpretentious. When choosing a bird, you need to be very careful. You do not need to get a pet with disheveled feathers, dull eyes, layers on the beak and waxen, an enlarged stomach. The bird should not be lethargic, cough, wheeze, breathe faster. These signs indicate old age or illness.

Bringing the birds home, they must be quarantined for 2-3 weeks. Any transportation, even in a healthy bird, causes stress. If the bird is healthy after half a month, it can be put in a cage with other birds. In this case, the female is always planted in the male. The lovebird females are larger and more active and attack the male as a stranger.

Lovebirds meticulously choose a partner, so you have to cauterize them with caution. Otherwise, acquaintance may end in the death of a weaker bird.

Taming

The easiest way to tame a bird is with your hands. The first days after the purchase of a parrot try not to disturb. It is enough, passing the cage, to utter a few phrases calmly, in a measured voice, so that the bird begins to get used to the owner. A conversation needs to be devoted 5-10 minutes a day. When the bird ceases to be afraid of the owner, you need to take a piece of apple, go to the cage and, talking quietly, stick it between the bars.

If the parrot is interested in a treat, you can put it on your palm and stretch it into the open door of the cage. To get food, the parrot will have to climb into the palm of his hand with his feet. The main thing is not to scare him away. A parrot should feel absolutely safe on a human hand at any moment. Then he gradually learned to land on it when flying around the room to take a treat from the palm of his hand.

Abilities

Lovebirds are bad talkers and are not prone to sound imitation. Only a few speaking lovebirds are known who could utter whole phrases. In general, budgies speak much better. But lovebirds are well tamed, sometimes better than wavy ones.

An adult lovebird never becomes completely tame and unfit for training. But the chick, taken from the nest shortly before departure, is attached to the owner. It can be taught simple commands and tricks: spinning in a dance, sitting on a command on a shoulder or finger, returning to the cage.

Conditions of detention

Parrots can be kept in pairs and singly. A solitary lifestyle is not suitable for untamed wild birds.

In the room where the lovebirds are, you must not smoke. Birds are quickly poisoned by nicotine and die. It is also undesirable to raise your voice, wave your hands and perform any action, after which the parrots start scrolling around the room in fright.

Optimum microclimate parameters:

air temperature - 20–22 ° C,
atmospheric humidity - 50–70%.

Cell

The cage should not be placed in a draft, away from the TV, computer monitor and refrigerator, the radiation of which is harmful. It is suspended or mounted at a height allowing the host to easily observe the birds.

The size of the cage should allow the birds to spread their wings wide without touching the walls. The form also matters. The best option for lovebirds is a rectangular design with a flat roof. Cells made from alloys containing copper, zinc or lead will not work. Such designs are toxic to lovebirds.

The wooden parts of the cells suffer greatly from the powerful beaks of the birds, therefore, all-metal structures are preferable.

It is convenient when there is a retractable tray in the cage, which can be easily cleaned without disturbing the parrots. The tray is covered with blotting paper. Instead of paper on the pallet, you can pour sand or sawdust, but then the room will be dusty. In this case, it is better to close the cell to half the height with plastic or plexiglass.

Inside the cage there should always be food and drinking water - then the feathered pet will be willing to return to it. Convenient feeders in the form of ceramic cups with a depth of about 5 cm. Two cups are required - for grain and wet feed. The third cup can be used as a drinker or use an auto-drinker. There should be a bathing tank in the cage. It is better to put feeders and drinking bowls in opposite corners of the cage - this will encourage birds to move more.

You need to clean the cage, feeder and drinker as often as possible, ideally daily. Cleanliness reduces the risk of infections.

If the pallet is not covered with sand, you need to put in a cage a separate container with washed grains of sand - they need a parrot for digestion. You can add a little chalk, crushed shells, clay to the sand. This mineral top dressing supplies the birds with the necessary trace elements and prevents plucking of feathers.

It will take at least two poles made of branches of different thicknesses. For the manufacture of perches suitable birch, fruit trees. Parrots often nibble on perches, so they will have to be replaced approximately once a month.

The lovebirds sitting on the perch cells must not reach the grate with their tail, and when jumping from perch to perch, they should be able to flap their wings at least twice

Care

The bird should regularly be in the sun - in the winter and in the summer. At any position of the sun in the sky, the darkened part should remain in the cage. In winter, for sunbathing the cage put closer to the window. If the room is not facing the sunny side, you can turn on the warm range lamps.

In warm weather, it is useful to take the cage into the air, into the sun. In this case, it is necessary to cover part of the structure from above with a blanket so that, if desired, the bird could hide in the shade.

It is important for a parrot to observe the regime of night rest:

in the summer - at least 10 hours;
in winter - at least 12 hours.

At night, you can close the cage so that the parrot sleeps peacefully. If the room is still lit and the homework is watching TV, you can close the cage at the scheduled time according to the schedule with a coverlet and calmly continue your studies.

Birds should be released from the flight cage. It is better if the cell door is always open. In fact, the lovebirds should be behind bars only for the duration of sleep, rest, bathing and feeding.

Lovebirds are big lovers of water procedures. Moisturizing feathers accelerates their growth, improves health. After this procedure, the birds should be allowed to sit in the heat for drying. Some lovebirds bathe under running water in a sink. Forcibly bathing parrots is not worth it - they must do it on their own.

Beak, Claws, Wings

As the beak grows, the beak and claws file or cut, trying not to touch the vessels. For prevention, parrots are constantly given fresh branches.

Sometimes it makes sense to trim the parrot's wings. After that, he will not fly away into the window, will not crash against the wall, as he will not be able to fly high, but will continue to train the lower muscles, making short flights and jumping on the floor. The plumage is cut equally on both wings.

You cannot cut wings of chicks who have not yet begun to fly.

Feeding

Lovebirds are herbivorous birds. Food for them can be divided into grains and succulent.

Grain mix

Grain should make up 70% of the bird menu. It contains everything you need for life: carbohydrates, proteins, oils, fiber and some vitamins.

Of grain feed, millet is especially important. Its absence will lead to the disease and death of the lovebird.

Millet makes up at least 60% of the grain. The remaining 40% is wheat, oats, millet, corn. Millet can be cooked, giving the parrot a loose porridge mixed with grated raw carrots and beets. Peas are also cooked.

Lovebirds love the seeds of plantain and dandelion. They are harvested every season.

The grain mixture is poured into the feeder in the evening. Birds get up early and, if they do not find food, will rush about in a cage. A pair feeding the chicks is given a grain mixture twice: in the evening and after dinner.

Oily feed

The amount of sunflower seeds in the mixture should not be more than 10%. Nuts give a very limited form, not more than 5% of the daily diet twice a week. Cannabis seeds should be no more than 5% of the grain mixture. Before issuing, they are boiled for 10 minutes and dried.

Flaxseed is a medicinal feed. It is useful for digestion, as it has a laxative effect. It is included in the mixture in an amount of not more than 2% of the composition.

Juicy food

Juicy feed freshens the bird, as it contains a lot of water. They also have vitamins and pectin, which can neutralize poisons.

Juicy feed:

green grass;
leaves;
vegetables;
berries;
fruit;
roots.

Sliced \u200b\u200bvegetables can be given to birds:

cabbage;
potatoes;
tomatoes
cucumbers
bell pepper;
watermelons;
melons
pumpkins
apples and pears;
citrus;
tropical fruits.

Of the berries, mountain ash, grapes, and blackcurrant are useful. You can not give the seeds of fruits and berries of bird cherry - they contain poison.

Useful green onions - a preventative remedy for worms. Wild plants should be present in the diet in the form of young nettles, spruce and pine needles.

Proteins

Animal feed is given in a separate feeder, twice a week to young birds and once every two weeks to adults. It can be:

boiled eggs
milk,
dairy products,
cottage cheese,
worms and larvae.

Juicy and protein foods give at the beginning of the day.

Water, minerals

There must be fresh water in the cage. It is better to boil a tap. In addition to water, birds can be given juice without preservatives (except grape).

Useful broth of wild rose and chamomile:

1. Take a teaspoon of chamomile flowers or rosehip berries per 100 grams of boiling water.
2. Stew for half an hour in a water bath.

In addition to sand, shell and chalk, birds need charcoal. It neutralizes poisons, cleanses the body.

Disease Prevention

Lovebirds are naturally healthy. In captivity, they rarely get sick, because they do not come into contact with the outside world and wild birds that carry infectious diseases. The cause of the disease is most often poor care or improper maintenance.

Common diseases of lovebirds:

Title	Symptoms	Treatment
Poisoning	Diarrhea and vomiting, general weakness	Dissolve a tablet of activated carbon and a pinch of baking soda in half a glass of a pink solution of potassium permanganate, dilute the mixture with water 1: 4, shake and add three or four drops in a beak with a pipette.
Eye inflammation	The eye turns red, discharge appears	Treat the eye with a solution of albucide diluted with water 1: 3, then apply a drop of 3% tetracycline ointment
Egg jam	The female lies down, suffocates, shakes her tail, the lower abdomen swells and turns red	Pipette 2-3 drops of purified sunflower oil into the anus with a pipette, wash the stomach with warm water, put on a soft cloth - in about an hour the female will lay an egg
	Edema of white color appears on the legs, the parrot cannot stay on its feet	The main cause of the disease is an excess of food of animal origin. The treatment is carried out by a veterinarian, a strict diet will be required
	The stool becomes watery, taupe with mucus. The area of \u200b\u200bthe anus is inflamed, the feathers near the cloaca are dirty. The bird is sitting up, its head bowed, showing no interest in anything.	Lack of millet, spoiled feed, excess fresh greens, dirty water leads to diarrhea. A parrot needs to be given a solution of potassium permanganate, rice broth. Rinse the area around the cloaca with a solution of potassium permanganate, lubricate the skin of the anus with tetracycline ointment
Coccidiosis	The bird stops eating, drinks a lot, blood appears in the litter. Laboratory diagnosis required	Isolate the bird and consult a veterinarian
Salmonellosis	Appetite disappears, diarrhea occurs. The bird drinks a lot, the stomach grows, the wings protrude or sag. Possible cramps, disorientation	The disease is dangerous to humans. The bird must be isolated, the veterinarian prescribes treatment

Breeding

Lovebirds are easily divorced in the cell. Pink-cheeked and black-winged are easiest to breed.

The cage for breeding should be so spacious that the birds in it can re-fly from pole to pole. The temperature is maintained at least 18 degrees. It is advisable to use a humidifier. Warm and humid microclimate will help budgerigars to properly prepare for the nesting period.

Successful breeding will require:

nesting house;
compatible pair;
quality feed;
proper handling of chicks.

A pair is made up of active, healthy, motile birds. Their age should be at least 1 year and not more than 4 years. Younger and older do not fit. Weak birds, malnourished poorly sit on the eggs and can not feed the chicks.

It is better to look at the flock of birds and notice those who formed pairs. The second option is to place two males to the female and give her the opportunity to choose a partner.

A couple pick and plant in late autumn. After this mating, you can expect the very near future. During this period, parrots need to be fully fed. They should be well-fed, have a thin layer of fat on their stomachs.

Nesting house

A nesting box is hung in a cage - a box 25 cm high with a bottom size of 17 by 17 cm. The diameter of the let is 5-6 cm. The let is made closer to the upper edge of the house. A perch is made under the notch, and a horizontal stick is attached inside the house at a distance of 4 cm from the floor - it is needed as a step for birds.

At the bottom you can put an egg cup. The lid should be removable or folding for easy bird watching.

Incubation

After installing the crate in the cage, birds need to be offered thin branches of hardwood. The female must transfer them to the house and build a nest. It will take her one to two weeks. Lovebirds lay 3-6 snow-white eggs, hatch them for about three weeks. Several times a day, the female turns the eggs so that they are heated evenly.

Birds do not need to be disturbed at this time. Cleaning the cage and caring for the parrots is carried out very carefully. You can inspect the nest when the female flies out of it for feeding.

The air temperature should be kept in the range of 18-20 degrees. Embryos are sensitive to air humidity. Dry air, like excess moisture, leads to their death. Normal air humidity is 50-60%.

Feeding chicks

Lovebird chicks are completely helpless, blind. 3-4 hours after birth, they begin to eat - first goiter secretions of the female, then undercooked grain. At this time, an egg, hatching wheat grains, millet porridge are added to the feeder. The male helps the female to feed offspring.

In the second week, the chicks open their eyes, on the 30th day they fledge. Approximately on the 40th day, the chicks fly out of the nest, but stay for two more weeks near their parents. After two to three weeks, when they become independent, they can be put into another cell.

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