View source for Lovebird

{{Short description|Genus of parrots}}
{{Other uses}}
{{Refimprove|date=January 2025}}
{{Automatic taxobox
| image = Agapornis roseicollis -eating grass seeds-8.jpg
| image_caption = A feral [[rosy-faced lovebird]] eating seeds in [[Chicago]]
| display_parents = 2
| taxon = Agapornis
| authority = [[Prideaux John Selby|Selby]], 1836
| type_species= ''[[black-collared lovebird|Psittacus swindernianus]]'' ([[black-collared lovebird]])
| type_species_authority = [[Heinrich Kuhl|Kuhl]], 1820
| subdivision_ranks = Species
| subdivision = Nine - see text
}}
'''Lovebird''' is the common name for the [[genus]] '''''Agapornis''''', a small group of [[parrot]]s in the Old World parrot family [[Psittaculidae]]. Of the nine species in the genus, all are native to the African continent, with the grey-headed lovebird being native to the African island of [[Madagascar]]. Social and affectionate, the name comes from the parrots' strong, [[Monogamy in animals|monogamous]] pair bonding and the long periods which paired birds spend sitting together. Lovebirds live in small flocks and eat fruit, vegetables, grasses, and seeds. Some species are kept as pets, and several coloured mutations have been selectively bred in [[aviculture]]. The average lifespan is 10 to 12 years.<ref>{{cite book |first = David| last = Alderton | author-link=David Alderton | title = The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Caged and Aviary Birds | isbn = 1-84309-164-X |pages= 216–219| publisher = Hermes House |location = London, England | year = 2003}}</ref>

==Description==
{{Listen|filename=Masked lovebirds.ogg|title=Masked lovebirds calling|description= Recording of the blue masked lovebird variety.|format=[[Ogg]]}}
[[File:Lovebirds.family.jpeg|thumb|300px|right|Green- and blue-series peach-faced lovebirds:<br />two parents ({{em|left, center-right}}) with their two recently fledged chicks ({{em|center-left, right}})]]
Lovebirds are {{cvt|13|-|17|cm|in|0}} in length, up to 24&nbsp;cm in wingspan with 9&nbsp;cm for a single wing and {{cvt|40|-|60|g|oz|frac=2}} in weight. They are among the smallest parrots, characterised by a stocky build, a short blunt tail, and a relatively large, sharp beak. Wildtype lovebirds are mostly green with a variety of colours on their upper body, depending on the species. The Fischer's lovebird, black-cheeked lovebird, and the masked lovebird have a prominent white ring around their eyes. Many colour mutant varieties have been produced by [[selective breeding]] of the species that are popular in [[aviculture]].{{Citaiton needed|date=January 2025}} {{As of|2019}}, there are 30 known [[plumage]] colour variations among lovebirds, which are caused by pigments called [[psittacofulvin]]s.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=van der Zwan |first=Henriëtte |last2=Visser |first2=Carina |last3=van der Sluis |first3=Rencia |date=2019 |title=Plumage colour variations in the Agapornis genus: a review |journal=[[Ostrich: Journal of African Ornithology]] |volume=90 |issue=1 |pages=1–10 |doi=10.2989/00306525.2018.1540446|hdl=2263/71245 |hdl-access=free }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Ke |first=Fushi |last2=van der Zwan |first2=Henriëtte |last3=Shui Kei Poon |first3=Emily |last4=Cloutier |first4=Alison |last5=Van den Abeele |first5=Dirk |last6=van der Sluis |first6=Rencia |last7=Yung Wa Sin |first7=Simon |date=March 2024 |title=Convergent evolution of parrot plumage coloration |journal=[[PNAS Nexus]] |volume=3 |issue=3 |pages=107 |doi=10.1093/pnasnexus/pgae107 |doi-access=free |pmc=10962230 |pmid=38528953}}</ref>

==Taxonomy==
The genus ''Agapornis'' was described by the English naturalist [[Prideaux John Selby]] in 1836.<ref name="Selby 1836">{{cite book |last=Selby |first=Prideaux John |author-link=Prideaux John Selby |url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/25572523 |title=The Natural History of Parrots |publisher=W.H. Lizards |year=1836 |series=The Naturalist's Library. Volume 6. |location=Edinburgh |page=116–119 |via=the [[Biodiversity Heritage Library]]}}</ref> The name combines the [[Ancient Greek]] {{lang|grc|αγάπη}} ''agape'' meaning "love" and {{lang|grc|όρνις}} ''ornis'' meaning "bird".<ref>{{cite book |last=Jobling |first=James A. |url=https://archive.org/details/Helm_Dictionary_of_Scientific_Bird_Names_by_James_A._Jobling |title=The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names |publisher=Christopher Helm |year=2010 |isbn=978-1-4081-2501-4 |location=London |page=36 |via=the [[Internet Archive]]}}</ref> The [[type species]] is the [[black-collared lovebird]] (''Agapornis swindernianus''),<ref>{{cite book |url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/14477969 |title=Check-List of Birds of the World |publisher=Harvard University Press |year=1937 |editor-last=Peters |editor-first=James Lee |editor-link=James L. Peters |volume=3 |place=Cambridge, Massachusetts |page=254}}</ref> which was originally placed into the genus ''[[Psittacus]]'' within a section called [[Psittacula]] by naturalist [[Heinrich Kuhl]].<ref name="Selby 1836" /> Selby contended that this placement rather than a separate genus was "artificial" and done "without regard to the structure, habits, or distribution of the species."<ref name="Selby 1836" />

The genus contains nine species of which five are [[monotypic]] and four are divided into subspecies. They are native to mainland Africa and the island of [[Madagascar]]. In the wild, the different species are separated geographically.<ref name="ioc">{{cite web| editor1-last=Gill | editor1-first=Frank | editor1-link=Frank Gill (ornithologist) | editor2-last=Donsker | editor2-first=David | editor3-last=Rasmussen | editor3-first=Pamela | editor3-link=Pamela Rasmussen | year=2020 | title=Parrots, cockatoos | work=IOC World Bird List Version 10.2 | url=https://www.worldbirdnames.org/bow/parrots/| publisher=International Ornithologists' Union | access-date=8 October 2020 }}</ref>

Traditionally, lovebirds are divided into three groups:
*the [[Sexual dimorphism|sexually dimorphic]] species: Madagascar, Abyssinian, and red-headed lovebird
*the intermediate species: peach-faced lovebird
*the white-eye-ringed species: masked, Fischer's, Lilian's, and black-cheeked lovebirds
However, this division is not fully supported by phylogenetic studies, as the species of the dimorphic group are not grouped together in a single [[clade]].
==Species==
Species and subspecies:<ref name = zoonomen>{{cite web | url =http://www.zoonomen.net/avtax/psit.html |title = Zoological Nomenclature Resource: Psittaciformes (Version 9.004) |date =2008-07-05 |publisher = www.zoonomen.net }}</ref>

{{Species table |genus= Agapornis |authority-name=[[Prideaux John Selby|Selby]] |authority-year=1836<ref name = KLB>{{cite book |first = Kenny |last = Le Breton |title = Lovebirds...getting started |year = 1992 |pages = [https://archive.org/details/lovebirdsashobby00lebr/page/84 84–98] |isbn = 0-86622-411-4 |publisher = T.F.H. Publications |location = USA |url-access = registration |url = https://archive.org/details/lovebirdsashobby00lebr/page/84 }}</ref> |species-count=nine|no-note=y|narrow-percent=75}}

{{Species table/row
|name=[[Rosy-faced lovebird]]<br />or peach-faced lovebird |binomial=[[Agapornis roseicollis]]
|image=File:Rosy-faced lovebirds (Agapornis roseicollis roseicollis) composite 2 of 3.jpg|image-size=180px |image-alt=
|authority-name=Vieillot|authority-year= 1818 |authority-not-original=yes
|range= Southwest [[Africa]]
|range-image=File:Peachfaced lovebird distribution2.gif
|range-image-size=180px
|size=17–18&nbsp;cm (6.5–7&nbsp;in) long. Green and pink. Has blue rump feathers.
|habitat=
|hunting=
|iucn-status= LC
|population=
|direction=
|subspecies={{Collapsible list |expand=yes |title=Two subspecies |bullets=on
| ''Agapornis roseicollis catumbella'', <small>B.P. Hall, 1952</small>
| ''Agapornis roseicollis roseicollis'', <small>(Vieillot 1818)</small>
}}
}}


{{Species table/row
|name=[[Yellow-collared lovebird]] or masked lovebird|binomial=[[Agapornis personatus]]
|image=File:20110709 Harry Malter (0006).jpg|image-size=180px |image-alt=
|authority-name=Reichenow|authority-year= 1887|authority-not-original=
|range= Northeast [[Tanzania]]
|range-image=File:Masked lovebird distribution2.gif
|range-image-size=180px
|size=14&nbsp;cm (5.5&nbsp;in) long. Yellow and green. Has blue tail feathers.
|habitat=
|hunting=
|iucn-status= LC
|population=
|direction=
|subspecies=
}}

{{Species table/row
|name= [[Fischer's lovebird]]|binomial=[[Agapornis fischeri]]
|image=File:Lovebirds in Tanzania 3496 cropped Nevit.jpg|image-size=180px |image-alt=
|authority-name=Reichenow|authority-year= 1887 |authority-not-original=
|range= South and southeast of Lake Victoria in northern Tanzania
|range-image=File:Fichers lovebird distribution2.gif
|range-image-size=180px
|size=14&nbsp;cm (5.5&nbsp;in) long. Mostly green, orange upper body and head, blue lower back and rump, red beak, white eyerings.
|habitat=
|hunting=
|iucn-status= NT
|population=
|direction=
|subspecies=
}}

{{Species table/row
|name=[[Lilian's lovebird]]<br />or Nyasa lovebird |binomial=[[Agapornis lilianae]]
|image=File:Lilian's Lovebird (Agapornis lilianae) (23684435122).jpg|image-size=180px |image-alt=
|authority-name=Shelley|authority-year=1894 |authority-not-original=yes
|range= [[Malawi]]
|range-image=File:Lillians lovebird distribution.gif
|range-image-size=180px
|size=13&nbsp;cm (5&nbsp;in) long. Mostly green including green back and green rump, orange head, red beak, white eyerings.
|habitat=
|hunting=
|iucn-status= NT
|population=
|direction=
|subspecies=
}}

{{Species table/row
|name=[[Black-cheeked lovebird]] |binomial=[[Agapornis nigrigenis]]
|image=File:Black-checked Lovebird RWD.jpg|image-size=180px |image-alt=
|authority-name=W.L. Sclater|authority-year= 1906|authority-not-original=
|range= Zambia
|range-image=File:Black-cheeked Lovebird.png
|range-image-size=180px
|size=14&nbsp;cm (5.5&nbsp;in) long. Mostly green, brownish-black cheeks and throat, reddish-brown forehead and forecrown, orange upper chest, red beak, white eyerings.
|habitat=
|hunting=
|iucn-status= VU
|population=
|direction=
|subspecies=
}}

{{Species table/row
|name=[[Grey-headed lovebird]]<br />or Madagascar lovebird |binomial=[[Agapornis canus]]
|image=File:Grey-headed Lovebird, Ankarafantsika, Madagascar.jpg|image-size=180px |image-alt=
|authority-name=Gmelin|authority-year=1788 |authority-not-original=yes
|range= Madagascar
|range-image=
|range-image-size=180px
|size=13&nbsp;cm (5&nbsp;in) long. Mostly green with darker green on back, pale grey beak. Sexual dimorphism: male has a grey upper body, neck and head.
|habitat=
|hunting=
|iucn-status= LC
|population=
|direction=
|subspecies={{Collapsible list |expand=yes |title=Two subspecies |bullets=on
| ''Agapornis canus ablectaneus'', <small>Bangs, 1918</small>
| ''Agapornis canus canus'', <small>(Gmelin, 1788)</small>
}}
}}

{{Species table/row
|name=[[Black-winged lovebird]]<br />or Abyssinian lovebird |binomial=[[Agapornis taranta]]
|image=File:2009-0803-AgapTara-Ethiopia-BahirDar-016.jpg|image-size=180px |image-alt=
|authority-name=Stanley|authority-year=1814 |authority-not-original=yes
|range= Southern [[Eritrea]] to southwestern [[Ethiopia]]
|range-image=
|range-image-size=180px
|size=16.5&nbsp;cm (6.5&nbsp;in) long. Mostly green, red beak, some black wing feathers. Sexual dimorphism: only the male has red on forehead and crown, female's plumage is all green.
|habitat=
|hunting=
|iucn-status= LC
|population=
|direction=
|subspecies=
}}

{{Species table/row
|name=[[Red-headed lovebird]]<br />or red-faced lovebird |binomial=[[Agapornis pullarius]]
|image=File:Agapornis pullarius 243325240.jpg|image-size=180px |image-alt=
|authority-name=Linnaeus|authority-year= 1758|authority-not-original=yes
|range= Large part of central Africa
|range-image=
|range-image-size=180px
|size=15&nbsp;cm (6&nbsp;in) long. Mostly green with red on upper neck and face. Sexual dimorphism: the male has more extensive and a darker red on face and head, and the male has a darker red beak than the female.
|habitat=
|hunting=
|iucn-status= LC
|population=
|direction=
|subspecies={{Collapsible list |expand=yes |title=Two subspecies |bullets=on
| ''Agapornis pullarius pullarius'', <small>(Linnaeus, 1758)</small>
| ''Agapornis pullarius ugandae'', <small>Neumann, 1908</small>
}}
}}

{{Species table/row
|name=[[Black-collared lovebird]]<br />or Swindern's lovebird |binomial=[[Agapornis swindernianus]]
|image=File:Stavenn Agapornis swindernianus 00.jpg|image-size=180px |image-alt=
|authority-name=Kuhl|authority-year=1820 |authority-not-original=yes
|range= [[Equatorial Africa]]
|range-image=File:Swindernmap.gif
|size=13.5&nbsp;cm (5&nbsp;in) long. Mostly green, brown collar which has a black upper margin at the back of the neck, dark grey/black beak.
|habitat=
|hunting=
|iucn-status= LC
|population=
|direction=
|subspecies={{Collapsible list |expand=yes |title=Three subspecies |bullets=on
| ''Agapornis swindernianus emini'', <small>Neumann, 1908</small>
| ''Agapornis swindernianus swindernianus'', <small>(Kuhl, 1820)</small>
| ''Agapornis swindernianus zenkeri'', <small>Reichenow, 1895</small>
}}
}}

{{Species table/row
|name=Long-legged lovebird|binomial=[[Agapornis longipes]]
|image=File:Agapornis_longipes_paleoart.png|image-size=180px |image-alt=
|authority-name=Pavia|authority-year= 2024|authority-not-original=
|range= [[Cradle of Humankind]]
|range-image=
|range-image-size=180px
|size=
|habitat=
|hunting=
|iucn-status= EX
|population=
|direction=
|subspecies=
}}
{{Species table/end}}

==Nesting==
Depending on the species of lovebird, the female will carry nesting material into the nest in various ways. The peach-faced lovebird, for example, tucks nesting material in the feathers of its rump.<ref>{{cite book|title=Roberts Birds of South Africa| page = 236 |first1=G. R. |last1=Mclachlan |first2=R. |last2=Liversidge |others =illustrated by Lighton, N. C. K.; Newman, K.; Adams, J.; Gronvöld, H.|chapter = 330 Rosy-faced Lovebird|year=1978 |edition=4th |publisher=The Trustees of the John Voelcker Bird Book Fund}}</ref>

==Feral populations==
{{See also|Hybrid lovebird}}
[[File:Agapornis -probably a hybrid-5i.jpg|upright|right|thumb|Hybrids (Fischer's lovebird × masked lovebird) in Nairobi, Kenya.]]
Feral populations of Fischer's lovebirds and masked lovebirds live in cities of East Africa. There are interspecific [[hybrid (biology)|hybrids]] that exist between these two species. The hybrid has a reddish-brown head and orange on upper chest, but otherwise resembles the masked lovebird.<ref name="Forshaw (2006). plate 45.">Forshaw (2006). plate 45.</ref>

There are two feral colonies present in the Pretoria region (Silver Lakes, Faerie Glen and Centurion) in South Africa. They probably originated from birds that escaped from aviaries. They consist mostly of masked, black cheeked, Fischer and hybrid birds and vary in colours. White (not albino) and yellow as well as blue occur in many cases. The white ringed eyes are very prominent.<ref>{{cite web |last1=San Diego Zoo |title=Fischer's Lovebird |url=https://animals.sandiegozoo.org/animals/fischers-lovebird |website=San Diego Zoo |access-date=16 June 2019}}</ref>

There is a notable feral colony in Arizona, consisting of mostly Rosy-faced lovebirds. They originated from birds that escaped the pet trade, and were first seen in the state during the 1980's.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-03-25 |title=When It Gets Too Hot, Phoenix's Lovebirds Turn to Air Conditioning {{!}} Audubon |url=https://www.audubon.org/news/when-it-gets-too-hot-phoenixs-lovebirds-turn-air-conditioning |access-date=2025-11-13 |website=www.audubon.org |language=en}}</ref> The first breeding pair in Arizona was discovered in 1998.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Uehling |first=Jennifer J. |last2=Tallant |first2=Jason |last3=Pruett-Jones |first3=Stephen |date=2019-07-01 |title=Status of naturalized parrots in the United States |url=https://doi.org/10.1007/s10336-019-01658-7 |journal=Journal of Ornithology |language=en |volume=160 |issue=3 |pages=907–921 |doi=10.1007/s10336-019-01658-7 |issn=2193-7206}}</ref>

== Diet and health ==
[[File:Agapornis personatus -Honolulu Zoo, Hawaii, USA-8a.jpg|right|thumb|A [[yellow-collared lovebird]] perching by the entrance to a [[nest box]] in a large aviary at the [[Honolulu Zoo]], Hawaii, USA]]

Parrot species (including [[cockatiel]]s) are biologically vegetarian species.<ref>{{cite book |author1=Harcourt-Brown, Nigel H. |editor1-last=Samour |editor1-first=Jaime |title=Avian Medicine |date=2016 |publisher=Elsevier |page=138 |chapter=Psittacine Birds|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/285761277 |access-date=8 August 2022}}</ref> Lovebirds forage for their food. In the wild, their diet mainly consists of seeds, grains, and leaves from trees, shrubs, and tall grass. <ref>{{Cite journal |last=Ndithia |first=Henry |last2=Perrin |first2=Michael R |date=2006-04-01 |title=Diet and foraging behaviour of the Rosy-faced Lovebird Agapornis roseicollis in Namibia |url=https://doi.org/10.2989/00306520609485507 |journal=Ostrich |volume=77 |issue=1-2 |pages=45–51 |doi=10.2989/00306520609485507 |issn=0030-6525|url-access=subscription }}</ref>

{{Listen
| filename     = Masked lovebirds.ogg
| title        = Masked lovebirds calling
| description  = Recording of the blue masked lovebird variety.
| format       = [[Ogg]]
}}

Wild lovebirds may harbor diseases such as [[avian polyomavirus]].<ref>{{cite journal|last=Johne|first=R.|last2=Müller|first2=H.|title=Avian polyomavirus in wild birds: genome analysis of isolates from ''Falconiformes'' and ''Psittaciformes''|journal=[[Archives of Virology]]|year=1998|volume=143|issue=8|pages=1501–1512|doi=10.1007/s007050050393}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
* ''All About Breeding Lovebirds'' (hardcover) by Mervin Roberts
* ''Lovebirds: Everything About Housing, Care, Nutrition, Breeding, and Diseases'' with a special chapter, "Understanding Lovebirds" (A Complete Pet Owner's Manual) by Matthew M. Vriends
* ''Lovebirds compendium'' by [[Dirk Van den Abeele]]
* {{cite book |first=Joseph M. |last=Forshaw | author-link=Joseph Forshaw |title=Parrots of the World; an Identification Guide|url=https://archive.org/details/parrotsofworldid0000fors |url-access=registration |others =Illustrated by Frank Knight|publisher=[[Princeton University Press]] |isbn=0-691-09251-6 | year=2006 | ref=none}}

{{Psittacopasseres|Ps.|state=collapsed}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q515217}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Lovebirds| ]]
[[Category:Agapornithinae]]
[[Category:Parrots of Africa]]
[[Category:Birds of Sub-Saharan Africa]]
[[Category:Taxa named by Prideaux John Selby]]