All about parrots lovebirds

Parrots - just those birds that many people want to breed. But before you do this, you need to thoroughly deal with their specific species. In this article we will understand what parrots are lovebirds.

This genus is part of the family of parrot squad parrot-shaped birds. Lovebirds parrots in length reach 0.1-0.17 m. The wingspan is 0.04 m, the tail is pulled out by 0.06 m. The bird weight is from 0.04 to 0.06 kg. The head is relatively large.

Most often the pen has a green color. However, single areas (upper tail, breast, head and neck) may be colored in different tones. Occurs:

• red;
• blue;
• yellow;
• pink and other colors.

The beak itself is colored either bright red or straw yellow. The tail is not too long, like the legs. This does not interfere, however, the parrot will move quickly on the ground and even climb trees.

Nerazluchniki live in the forests of the tropics and subtropics, there are also species that inhabit the steppe and mountainous terrain. They are characterized by schooling way of life. The flight of these parrots is very fast and stable. At night, the birds sit on tree branches, or cling to small knots. There are mentions that different flocks can fight for already occupied trees.

According to some information, the birthplace of lovebirds is South-West and South-East Africa, Madagascar. Nesting occurs in hollows. There the birds only spread the litter. But occasionally lovebirds are engaged in the construction of nests. Construction is very effective.

To build a nest, birds need:

• small twigs;
• blade of grass;
• fragments of the cortex.

It is curious that different species in this genus can transfer the collected building material in different ways. Someone wears it in their beaks, and someone flies, delivering the same twigs under the feathers. The laying makes 4-8 eggs. Hatching time - 21-25 days. The name "lovebirds" is associated with the idea that in the event of the death of one of a pair of birds, the second one will soon die.

But this is more of a myth, just need some time before a new family. Flocks are relatively small, each includes several married couples. Very often, lovebirds parrots are drawn to farms that provide them with food. Birds feed on seeds and berries.

A pink-cheeked lovebird reaches 0.17 m in length, while its wing grows to 0.1 m. The tonality of such a parrot is very elegant, contains rich green tones. The back has a slight blue tint.. Name of the species due to the fact that the cheeks, as well as the throat - pink tone. A rich red forehead and beak in the color of yellow straw look very attractive.

The tail feathers in the middle are colored green. On the sides they are red, include wide black stripes. The tail feathers on the tail are painted in a bright blue tone. Young chicks have a brownish black beak, only the tip is lighter. At the same time, young tones have no red tones.

In nature, lovebirds are often found in Namibia, in Angola and in the Republic of South Africa. Although birds inhabit dry areas, they tend to desire water sources.In some cases, lovebirds settle in the walls of huts or under the roof. Rosy-cheeked look is more popular than others among breeders.

Fisher's view is also quite popular. Such lovebirds are cheerful and energetic, while special difficulties in the content are excluded. Fisher's little parrot, a little less than a rosy-cheeked one, is up to 0.15 m. At the same time, his wings grow to 0.2 m. The species got its name in honor of the German explorer Africa. Since the breeders are actively working with the "Fischer", these birds have an impressive palette of feathers. And the natural coloring of the pen is very elegant. Parrot is dressed up and looks like even a Christmas-tree toy. The backs, the bellies and the short tails have a green color diluted with bluish notes.

The neck and head are orange with a reddish tint. The plumage of the chest part is lemon-colored. Expressive black eyes are girded with white skin. Strong scarlet beaks have a scarlet surface. The paws are relatively short and end in slightly blue toes.

Fisher lovebirds inhabit the savannas of northern Tanzania. Around the shores of Lake Victoria, they became familiar, they even adapted to changing dry and wet seasons. The abundance of grasses and low shrubs provides extensive material for both nourishment and nest building. Small parrots are grouped in flocks and only during breeding they settle in pairs.

Family unions in Fisher lovebirds are remarkable for their enviable strength. Nests are built on trees or in rocky terrain. Over the past 80 years, European ornithologists and breeders have managed to gain considerable experience in growing these parrots in captivity.

Attention is deserved and mask lovebirds. They look very beautiful. Most often, the bird does not exceed 0.15 m in length. The tail accounts for 0.04 m. The wings of this species are up to 0.05 m long. The mass of an adult masked lovebird can reach 0.05 kg. The name of the species is given for the characteristic "masochka". Big brown eyes are surrounded by dark feathers. The plumage of the masked variety of birds is colored in bright colors, among which the green color dominates. In combination with the other yellow feathers, you get a very attractive look.

A rich red beak helps to complete the look. Thanks to him, the bird may seem as motley as the rainbow. When kept in a cage, a masked lovebird can live for 10-12 years. Occasionally there are older instances. In nature, the species inhabits Kenya and Tanzania, forming flocks of several dozen individuals. There the birds settle near the reservoirs and nest on low trees, on bushes.

The main food is local grains and fruits. The melodies that the masked lovebird publishes very clearly reflect their mood. The disadvantage of this type is the difficulty of training and dressing. Something can only be taught to singles, but you will have to deal with them from the very first days. To some extent, learning is facilitated by a rather high intelligence and excellent memory.

It is also useful to give a characteristic of the black-cheeked lovebird. In appearance, it looks like a Fisher look. However, the bird is slightly smaller. The difference is that black-faced parrots have an orange-red collar. Feathers on the head are painted in a light gray tone.

Liliana's lovebird, he is a strawberry-headed, is extremely rare, since his export from permanent habitats is prohibited. To distinguish this kind of parrot from Fisher can be on the green nadkhvosti. The color of ripe strawberries is characteristic of the forehead, cheeks and throat. The rest of the head and chest are light green, the beak is colored in red. Dimorphism can not be traced. Liliana's lovebird is very easy to get divorced and can adapt to very different conditions.

Those who do not need to acquire a well-speaking bird, can get a black-winged lovebird. But the color of this species is not very attractive. In addition, the export of birds to Europe is possible only with strict restrictions. The green bird has black stripes over the wings and on the edge of the tail. The tail end is colored green.

Red-faced, he is orange-headed, the parrot is colored in the tone of green grass. In this case, not only the cheeks and forehead, but even the neck turn out to be red. Ultramarine nadkhvoste looks amazing. These birds, with the black inside of the wing, love the heat. In nature, they inhabit termitaries, which is very unusual.

Gray-headed lovebird living in Madagascar, is characterized by powerful dimorphism. The species is considered the smallest in all of it. The plumage is rather pale. Parrots are quite calm, differ even by some timidity. At the same time, cold and humidity are very bad for birds.

This question is connected with the popular myth, as if it is unacceptable to separate the formed pair of parrots. They say that this will lead to the death of birds from anguish. Even the name of the genus seems to be symptomatic. But in fact, if you separate such parrots, they will live quite normally. And even with initial solitude, a lovebird lives well.

But it is impossible to leave the bird without control. The approach to singles should be different than to couples. Single parrots require increased attention. During the first week the individual will adapt to the changed situation.

Do not think that after the adaptation of the bird enough to feed and talk to her. We'll have to more actively communicate. With lonely lovebirds need to play - and in the cell, and in free flight. If the parrot will live in a cage all the time, it will not be able to fully develop. For him and regular regular exercise.

Exclude boredom, when the owners can not engage with lovebirds, use special toys:

• small bells;
• rustle;
• stairs;
• ropes.

If a lovebird has become an “orphan” forcedly, after the death or other loss of a partner, he can:

• go into apathy;
• feel sad
• pluck feathers.

Sometimes the output is a pair change. The main thing that she was not the same sex. It so happens that the second lovebird does not help. In this case, urgent care from a veterinarian is required. He must examine both birds.

When one of a pair of birds dies from any disease (especially infectious), the second one must be examined. And in case of death from an accident, the remaining bird should be given maximum care and attention. Trying to communicate more with the parrot. They give him unexpected bright gifts and favorite goodies. When the owner is in the room, he has to keep the cage open - the parrot may want to go for a walk.

It is useful to equip a new gaming area. When the owner leaves the room, he must drive the parrot into the cage carefully, without violence. The door must be closed. To facilitate the case, use the treat.

Immediately disappoint: the full taming of lovebirds in the sense that they executed commands, like a trained dog or cat, is impossible. But it is quite possible to wean biting - if you find the right approach. More serious taming is possible only for single individuals, especially if started from an early age. Breaking the established stereotypes of behavior in birds is very difficult. If a pair of birds lives, then they will almost all attention be paid to each other, and they will pay attention to the person on the residual principle.

Taming lovebirds takes a long time and at first it may seem that there are no results at all. First you need to cope with the natural fear of the animal towards man. Only after being fully accustomed, being at peace, will he fully communicate with the owner. It is unacceptable to force the contact in the first few days after the purchase of a new individual!

The fact is that at this time she is already adapting to the dramatically changing environment. Attempts to get close and to communicate can be perceived as a serious, and, at the same time, incomprehensible, threat. There is practically no chance to cope with such a reaction in the future. During adaptation it is necessary to limit contact with the bird only with the necessary care. At other times, it is impossible to enter the room once again.

Be sure to close the door and exclude the appearance of noise. Some lovebirds are so shocked by the move that they even fear to use an unusual feeding trough. Then a certain amount of food is simply poured to the bottom of the cage. This will allow, along with nutrition, to begin to establish contact. Exact terms, how many days or hours continues adaptation, no one will call.

You need to carefully look at the reaction of the bird. The first sign that a parrot trusts its owners is its complete calm when they appear. To speed up the process, the animal is fed in modest portions every 3-4 hours.

Gradually, for domestication, they begin to be more and more around the cell.. Best immediately after bookmarking food. At the same time, sweeping movements and loud sounds are unacceptable. Noticing that the lovebird began to live quietly, ignoring the cleaning or feeding, you can try to deepen the contact. Important helpers are toys and small pieces of tasty food.

Toys twist around the cage. The parrot's favorite dish is pushed through the bars. Getting inside the arm is possible only on condition that the bird paid attention to the bait. It is strictly impossible, with any degree of contact, to encroach on bird territory. This can be perceived as aggression, followed by an attack.

As soon as the slightest displeasure, irritation is noticed, it is better to remove the hands from the cage. A second attempt should be made only in 2-3 days. When the bird is still fresh memories of what happened, a new contact can only provoke the consolidation of the conditioned reflex.

Knowing how to distinguish a female from a male, how to determine the number of individual years, is very important when buying lovebirds. Any one sign may be little informative and even deceptive. It is advisable to watch the bird for some time in captivity. The need to distinguish between a boy and a girl arises even among those who intend to contain only one bird. Later it will be impossible to retrain her from one name to another; at best, it will require a lot of time and effort.

In addition, having placed in the cage homogeneous parrots on the floor, it is necessary to suffer all the time from their quarrels and cries. Usually, the "women" have a larger body than the "men". Also they have:

• less flat top of the head;
• forehead higher;
• less angular nape;
• the head is generally closer to the shape of the dome and somewhat smaller.

The male beak is paler than the female and has a subtle central groove. In this case, an additional clue is the closer arrangement of the paws. A big problem when assessing the sex and age of a wild lovebird is its aggressiveness. At home, the bird is shown to veterinarians. When buying go to a safe place, and ideally - go there with a veterinarian or an expert.

In magnitude, the monthly lovebird is not inferior to adults and even old individuals. We must look at the skin above the beak near the nostrils. In the first three months it is dark, and later brightens. An important clue in determining age is the coloring of the pen. It is only necessary to take into account the features of a particular type. In general, an old individual can be recognized by:

• relatively small pupil;
• darkening of paws;
• increasing the number of scales on them;
• increase and thickening of the beak;
• sometimes by detaching it.

Planting a parrot at home, many expect that the bird will speak. Immediately be aware that lovebird is much inferior to the volatility and clarity of speech, not only the cockatoo, but also budgies. It is impossible to achieve that they uttered phrases, sentences. What is realistic to achieve is that the birds can name their names. You should also take into account that the voice of the lovebird differs in high frequency, and its timbre is very sharp.

Success is achieved only:

• in a spacious cage;
• with good nutrition;
• subject to systematic communication with the owners.

The parrot will speak loudly. This is a natural feature, and nothing can be done about it. It is necessary to train him gradually. Long hard work will allow the bird to master up to 10 words. It is impossible to achieve more. It is important to understand: the development of human speech - stress mode for the bird. That is loneliness. Classes should be held every day, without days off, spending 40-45 minutes three times or four times a day. They train a parrot to speak at the same time. Training begins at 7 or 8 months (and earlier, and later it makes no sense).

Wait for the result should be about 12 months. The first words should be with sounds A and O. Best of all, if the nickname of a lovebird also includes such phonemes. When selecting a name, you should choose only short words that can be clearly pronounced.

Nerazluchnikov can be kept at home quite calmly. However, the important choice of an individual plays an important role. A healthy bird is different:

• smooth, sparkling plumage in the sun;
• pen uniformity all over the body;
• a clear expression of the eyes;
• activity and curiosity.

For transportation of birds use the transport cage. If not, you can use a plywood box with a hole in the top of it. When delivering a parrot home in late fall, in winter or early spring, it is required to use the bag. It reduces the likelihood of hypothermia. The best permanent artificial nests are made of nickel-plated steel with plastic or plexiglass.

But from the copper, zinc, lead, bamboo and wooden cells should be abandoned. The ideal shape is a flat roof rectangle.. Very important is the space in the cage and the ability to push the bottom. Between the rods should be 0.01-0.015 m. Since the birds come from the humid tropical zone, the air must be heated to 23-25 ​​degrees at a relative humidity of 50 to 60%.

You can not put lovebirds around hot batteries and heating equipment. It is necessary to provide normal lighting in the room. The window is curled with thin tulle to prevent direct sunlight from falling.

Mandatory requirements for a good cell are:

• a pair of feeders (separately for dry and wet feed);
• automatic drinking bowl;
• bath.

Dry food should be poured from the evening with the calculation until the end of the next day. Moist food is poured in the morning, removed in the evening. It is necessary to wash the feeders before each new tab. The entire cage is washed every 7 days with hot water without soap. At the same time change and litter.

The diet is dominated by grains and seeds. If you do not want to buy store food, lovebirds are fed (per day):

• 0.15 kg of millet;
• 0.15 kg canary seeds;
• 0.2 kg of oatmeal;
• 0.1 kg of sunflower seeds;
• 0.1 kg of pure oats;
• 0.1 kg of coarse corn.

As a treat, periodically give crackers, nuts. Be sure to apply succulent feed.

During the summer months daily swimming should be done. During the breeding season, when the birds hatch eggs, and also when the chicks hatch, but have not yet strengthened, special care should be taken. The slightest mistake can lead to sad consequences. Excessive invasion of personal space will harm parrots. The need to undermine the beak is missing. Instead of special tools, just give young twigs of fruit trees.

The best time for breeding is summer and early autumn. Healthy chicks will be at a humidity of 50 to 60%. The temperature at the same time - from 18 to 20 degrees. In the cage put the nesting house. A pair of parrots will give up to 8 chicks.

Solo cultivation of lovebirds is harder than steam content. Lovebirds birds:

• beautiful
• quite sociable;
• cause inconvenience in a harsh voice;
• may litter during meals;
• severely restrict the freedom of the owners.

In the next video you will find even more information about parrots lovebirds.