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Yellow-collared lovebird, or Masked lovebird, or Eye ring lovebird(Agapornis personatus)
Phylum —chordata
Class — aves
Order — psittaciformes
Family — psittaculidae
Genus – agapornis
Appearance
The yellow-collared lovebird is a mainly green small parrot about 14.5 cm (5.5 in) long. Its upperparts are a darker green than its lower surfaces. Its head is black, and it has a bright red beak with white above it and white eye rings. Yellow on the breast is continuous with a yellow collar and an expansion of yellow over the nape of the neck. Male and female have an identical external appearance.
Habitat
Masked lovebirds are found in eastern Africa.
Behavior
Masked lovebirds are very social. They received their common name, lovebird, because they preen and groom each other, especially their mates. Their pair bonds form early and persist throughout the course of their lives.
Masked lovebirds travel mainly by flight and live in small flocks of 4 to 5 birds, but can sometimes be seen in flocks up to 100, although they tend to only move in small flocks, despite belonging to larger groups.
While they are rather amiable birds, masked lovebirds can become aggressive with unfamiliar birds or rivals in the wild. In captivity, lovebirds may show signs of aggression when encountering an unfamiliar bird or human.
Diet
Masked lovebird eat primarily seeds of trees and grasses including Acacia seeds, millet and sorghum, they also eat tree bark and crops.
Reproduction
In the wild masked lovebirds are considered seasonal breeders, they breed during the dry season between the months of March and April, and June and July.
The yellow-collared lovebird brings nesting material in its beak to a tree cavity for their nest. The eggs are white and there are usually four to five in a clutch. The female incubates the eggs for about 23 days and the chicks leave the nest about 42 days after hatching.
In captivity
The usual lifespan of masked lovebirds in captivity is 10 to 20 years of age.
As with all birds, the largest enclosure possible should be chosen, with a minimum size being 36” x 36” x 18” for a pair (or slightly smaller if the birds are exercised often). The width between the bars should be no more than ¾ of an inch – frightened lovebirds may squeeze through wider bars that contain them when calm.
The cage should be provisioned with perches of various widths and materials, with the most-utilized perch being of a thickness that allows the birds’ feet to extend about three quarters of the way around. A birdbath should be provided.
These little dynamos should be kept busy – they have an affinity for shredding bark and should be given lots of willow, fruit tree and other non-toxic branches.
Masked lovebirds housed in an outdoor aviary will provide you with quite a treat – they never stop exploring (or destroying any plants they get hold of!) and interacting with what is going on outside the aviary.
Masked lovebirds are resilient as regards temperature. They are, however, sensitive to moisture, and will not thrive if allowed to become damp and chilled. An average humidity of 60% or so is ideal, but drier is fine except in the case of breeding pairs.
Masked lovebirds kept indoors should be provided with a full spectrum bulb.
Despite their rather outsized beaks, the majority of the masked lovebird’s diet should be composed of a small seeds, such as canary and white and yellow millet, along with a bit of hemp and sunflower and a high quality pelleted food. They favor sprouting greens, a variety of fruits and some vegetables (individual preferences vary). Cuttlebone and grit should always be available.
