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The Lovebird:  A lovebird (genus Agapornis, Greek for "lovebird") is a very social and affectionate parrot.
The name lovebird stems from their affectionate nature. They form a very close bond with their mate, which will usually last their entire life. This is reflected by their name in other languages: in German they are called "die Unzertrennlichen" and in French "les inséparables"- "inseparables". For this reason it is often believed that lovebirds in captivity can only be kept in pairs. It is, however, possible for a lovebird to bond with their owner, given a lot of love and attention.
Lovebirds are about 13-17 cm in size, 40-60 grams in weight and characterized by a small, stocky build and a short, blunt tail. This puts them among the smallest parrots in the world. The beak is rather large for their overall size. Many lovebirds are green, although color mutations can feature many different colors. Some lovebird species, like Fischer's, black cheeked and the yellow collared lovebird, have a white ring around the eye. Its lifespan is 10 to 15 years.
Species:
Eight of the different species come from the mainland of Africa. The ninth species, the agapornis canus, originates from Madagascar. In the wild the different species are separated geographically. Lovebirds live in small flocks and eat mainly fruit, vegetables, some grasses and seed. Black-winged lovebirds also enjoy figs.
Only some of the lovebird species are sexually dimorphic. This includes the black-winged lovebird, the grey headed lovebird, and the black collared lovebird.
There are a total of 9 different species:
In Aviculture
Unlike many of the larger parrots, which had already been kept as pets even by Alexander the Great, lovebirds were first brought to Europe during the 18th century. Pet lovebirds are now bred in captivity.
Today, lovebirds are very popular in aviculture, and one of the most commonly kept groups of parrots, because of their small size, low cost and ease of care, and ease of breeding.
The most common species of lovebird kept in captivity are the Peach-faced, Masked, and Fischer's lovebirds, approximately in that order, with the Peach-faced and Masked lovebirds having several color mutations.
The only other species of lovebird regularly kept in captivity is the Abyssinian lovebird. All other species of lovebird are rarely, if ever, maintained in aviculture.
Physical Description The bird is a light green, with a brilliant light-red face. The eyes are surrounded by a light white ring. Length 6 Inches (larger than a Budgie, but has a short tail) Ave. Lifespan 15-30 years Sexing Undeterminable by appearance. Origin: Originally from Africa & Madagascar. Trainability The love bird has a high shrill call, and may 'call' often. As with most birds, if gotten while young, can be a very affectionate. Can be trained to talk. Loudness Not very loud, but voice is high and bird calls often. Pricing Prices usually fall under $50.
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