Lovebirds, Latin/scientific name of the genus is Agapornis, got their name for commonly sitting as a pair and preening each other’s feathers. Lovebirds originate from Africa and surrounding islands. Lovebirds are members of the parrot family. There are nine different species of lovebirds, some of which are very common and others are very rare.

• The Peachfaced lovebird is one of the most common breeds of lovebirds and is one of the easiest lovebirds to keep.
• The Fischer’s lovebird, another common breed of lovebird.
• The Masked lovebird, also a very common breed.
• The Abyssinian lovebird is also known as the Blackwinged lovebird. These lovebirds are dimorphic (male and female are visually different). This breed is not as common.
• Madagascar lovebird is also known as the Grayheaded lovebird. Madagascar lovebirds are also dimorphic.
• Black-cheeked lovebird, which is not dimorphic.
• Nyasa lovebird is also called Lillian’s lovebird.
• The Red-faced lovebird is also dimorphic.
• Black-collared lovebird is also known as Swindern’s lovebird. This breed is extremely rare and includes a distinct and separate sub-species, A. Zenkeri.

Depending on why you get a lovebird will determine what type of cage you need. If you are going to keep a single bird as a pet and will allow it to be out of its cage for part of the day, a large parakeet cage (18"x18"x18") should be enough room. If you are going to get a pair of lovebirds for breeding, you should get a larger cage (36"x15"x24"). You should not keep lovebirds in the same cage as other birds because they are capable of maiming or killing any bird smaller than itself. You should also provide various sized perches in their cage.

Lovebirds should get a good mix of finch seed, parakeet seed, and wild bird seed. They can get most of their vitamins from fresh greens, shredded carrot, and fresh corn kernels. Vitamin supplements are also recommended to get their complete vitamins. A cuttlebone or mineral block is highly suggested to always be available to the birds. Millet spray is always a treat for lovebirds.

Additional information on Lovebirds can be found on the internet on the African Lovebird Society Home Page and many other web sites.