The species was named in honor of the German physician and African explorer Gustav Adolf Fischer.
Appearance
Small short-tailed parrots with a body length of no more than 15 cm and a weight of up to 58 grams. The main color of the body plumage is green, the head is red-orange, turning into yellow on the chest. The rump is blue. The beak is massive, red, with a light wax. The periorbital ring is white and bare. The paws are bluish-gray, the eyes are brown. Sexual dimorphism is not typical; it is impossible to distinguish males and females by color. Typically, females have a large head with a massive beak at the base. Females are larger in size than males.
Life expectancy in captivity and with proper care can reach 20 years.
Habitat and life in nature
The species was first described in the 1800s. The current population size ranges from 290,000 to 1,000,000 individuals. The species is not in danger of extinction.
Fisher's lovebirds live in northern Tanzania near Lake Victoria and in east-central Africa. They prefer to settle in savannas, feeding mainly on the seeds of wild cereals, acacia fruits and other plants. Sometimes they damage agricultural crops such as corn and millet. Outside the breeding season they live in small flocks.
Reproduction
The nesting period in nature begins from January to April and from June to July. They nest in hollow trees and hollows at a height of 2 to 15 meters, most often in colonies. The bottom of the nesting area is covered with grass and bark. The female carries the nesting material, inserting it between the feathers on her back. There are usually 3 - 8 white eggs in a clutch. Only the female incubates them; the male feeds her at this time. The incubation period is 22 - 24 days. The chicks are born helpless, covered in down. At the age of 35 - 38 days, the chicks are ready to leave the nest, but their parents feed them for some time.
Bright birds the size of a starling always stay together. They cutely repeat everything one after another, jumping around the cage and walking around the room. Lovebirds got their name because they always sit next to each other, eat the same food together and take care of each other, constantly cleaning their feathers. In the wild they live in permanent pairs. The main habitat of lovebirds is Africa.
Lovebirds belong to the Masked group. This is the nickname given to parrots that have a rim around their eyes - a mask. The main color of their feathers is green, the color is bright. Parrots create one pair forever and are constantly together. If they are not foraging for food, they sit huddled together. There is a belief that if one bird dies, its pair will soon die too. This is only possible if lovebirds:
- infected with one disease;
- both birds are already old;
- The second bird was very stressed, having lost a friend and became sad, and the owner pays little attention to her.
Lovebirds belong to the Masked group.
Lovebirds are usually sold in pairs. A lonely bird requires a lot of attention from its owner. The peculiarity of the breed is that lovebirds are hostile to other species of their relatives. There have been recorded cases of them beating larger birds to death.
Ornithologists have recorded 9 species of lovebirds in the wild. They differ in color, but all have a predominant camouflage green color.
The table shows the main habitat areas of different types of lovebirds and color features.
| Type of lovebirds | Habitats | Features in coloring |
| Fisher's lovebirds | Tanzania, Lake Victoria region, Kenya | the bottom of the head and neck are orange, the forehead is red, the tail is blue |
| Rosy-cheeked | southern Angola, South Africa, Namibia | green with a peach mask, the tail has blue feathers, spotted cheeks, cream, lutino, yellow beak |
| Blackwings | highland forests in Ethiopia, Red Sea coast | grass-green tail, yellow with black stripe, wings brown, beak red |
| Greyheads | Seychelles, Madagascar, Comoros, Zanzibar | the back and wings are dark green, the belly and tail are yellow, the head and part of the neck are pearly gray |
| Collared | Cameroon, Liberia, Congo | Green, yellow chest, black collar with orange stripe, turquoise lower back and tail |
| Red faces | central Africa | the color is green, the feathers on the head are bright orange, the feathers on the wings are black and blue with red at the base of the feathers |
| Masks | Tanzania, Zambia, Mozambique, Kenya | the mask is brown and black, the back of the head, neck and chest are orange and yellow, there are bald rims around the eyes |
| Black-cheeked | Zambia, Victoria Falls region | grassy green, cheeks, forehead and back of head brown, head orange on top, orange spot on throat |
| Liliana's lovebirds | Mozambique, Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia | the chest, back of the head, yellow head, crimson feathers above the beak |
Lovebirds in captivity live on average 15 years. They are very freedom-loving and it is difficult to keep them in a cramped cage. They rarely talk, learning words is difficult. They are sad and sick alone. A lonely lovebird parrot at home perceives its owner as its mate. You need to communicate with him regularly, several times a day. Otherwise, the bird will become sad and sick.
Lovebirds are very freedom-loving and it is difficult to keep them in a cramped cage.
Lovebirds - care and maintenance differ in part from the conditions and habits of other small parrots. Unlike and, they do not tolerate the company of other species. There should be an even number of lovebirds in the enclosure. The cage is made spacious, more than 20 cm wide, so that the bird, spreading its wings, does not break its feathers on the bars. The bottom is retractable and made of environmentally friendly and durable material, preferably stainless steel. A parrot will chew a wooden floor and turn it into sawdust in a few weeks. If the cage is small, then the door should always be kept open during the day. The parrot will only fly into it to eat, drink and sleep. If it is impossible for him to constantly fly freely around the room, you need to make a large enclosure with several crossbars.
The air temperature is above 19 degrees. There should be a water bath in the cage, or the birds should have one regularly. It is interesting to watch parrots bathing. Lovebirds behave funny in the water.
The food consists of various grains and seeds. The easiest way is to buy ready-made grain mixtures and feed them at the rate of 45 grams per adult bird. If there is an excess of food, lovebirds will overeat and get sick. In addition, they need mineral supplements and sepia. The water in the drinking bowl must be constantly and always fresh and clean.
The species of lovebirds is named after the German scientist involved in the study of Africa - Gustav Adolf Fischer. The name of the species was given in honor of his friend and fellow countryman by ornithologist Anton Raikhenov. It was he who discovered it and described it at the end of the 19th century during another expedition to the region of equatorial Africa, and then brought it to Europe. Fischer's lovebirds came to Russia from Germany at the end of the 20th century.
The bird is the size of a starling with white rims around black eyes, up to 15 cm long with a rounded tail 4 cm long. The head is large, with iridescent red-yellow tones. There are red feathers above the bright scarlet beak. They gradually change color, the rich orange neck turns into yellow on the breast. Then the feathers turn lemon-colored and green on the belly.
The species of lovebirds is named after the German scientist involved in the study of Africa - Gustav Adolf Fischer
All shades of blue can be found in the tail. The bright green wings of the lovebird end in black flight feathers. The legs are short, bluish-gray, with strong toes and sharp claws.
The female is responsible for arranging the nest. She does not carry branches in her beak, like other parrots, but pushes them under the feathers on the lower back and the base of the tail. But the chicks that leave the nest are fed for a long time by their father, to whom they regularly fly.
For breeding, lovebirds are placed in a cage with a 15:15:25 cm nest with a hole above the floor at approximately a height of 10 cm. Usually, lovebirds carry branches, sawdust, and pieces of fabric into the nest. They pluck their down and feathers to make bedding.
Both parents care for the chicks. While the female sits on the eggs, the male feeds her. After the chicks appear, he carries food for them, or rather, they feed the babies, coughing up semi-digested food. Then, when the young have feathers and can warm themselves, both parents fly out to get food.
Both parents care for the chicks
After leaving the nest, the chicks will continue to visit the nest for a couple of months. Now only their father feeds them. By one year, the birds become adults and are able to create their own family.
Breeding lovebirds at home requires special attention. If the nest is not removed in time, the birds will begin to hatch new ones. Frequent laying of eggs weakens the female, she begins to get sick and her lifespan is reduced to 5 - 7 years.
Peculiarities of breeding of Fischer's lovebirds
The female independently builds a nest from branches. The owner should make sure that there are enough of them, but not too many. Having become carried away, the bird can block the entire space and wall itself up in the nest.
- It is necessary to prepare enough branches so that they fill the nest up to the opening - the entrance.
- Place the thinnest ones inside, in a layer of 2–3 cm.
- Leave the rest in the cage outside.
The female will gnaw branches with her strong beak, soaking them. Having laid down those inside, it will begin to drag outside. When the nest is ready, the pair will begin mating season.
During brooding and the first three weeks after the chicks hatch, the male will regularly carry food. When the chicks begin to climb out of the nest, the amount of food can be reduced. Then the parrots will not lay eggs again.
Having a bird as a pet is a great joy. A variety of colors and types allows you to choose your ideal friend. The leaders are parrots. Their bright colors, mobility, and playfulness create a cheerful atmosphere of a tropical jungle in the house. Fischer's lovebirds are a species of parrots known to almost everyone. Their distinctive feature is their existence in pairs; birds often press tightly against each other while sitting on a perch. This article will allow you to learn more about the species of parrots and its characteristics.
Name
Swans are not the only ones credited with creating a strong bond between partners. Fisher's lovebirds got their name precisely because of this quality. However, this is a poetic theory.
In the wild habitat, the species lives in small flocks, but conflicts often occur, which forces the weaker individual to leave its partner for a while. Then she returns, and the couple does everything together again: forages, rests, and goes to water. But both in nature and when maintaining a house, the male and female sit side by side, huddled closely together, which served as the basis for the name, the second part of which - Fischer, corresponds to the name of the German researcher who studied this species.
Appearance
Fischer's lovebirds are small in size compared to other varieties - length 14-15 cm, weight 42-58 grams. Of particular interest is the color of the birds: their body and wings are bright green, the neck begins with yellow, which smoothly turns into orange. The beak is bright red.
Fisher's masked lovebirds are distinguished only by the characteristic black and brown “mask” on the head. The white ring framing them gives expressiveness to the eyes.
The female and male do not differ in color. The difference can be observed only in the size of the parrots: the female is slightly larger than the male and has a more rounded head shape.
The lifespan of a pet can be from 12 to 20 years.
Cell
Experts in breeding parrots believe that this particular species is most suitable for beginners. It is simple to maintain and does not require any specific conditions or special skills. On the Internet you can find a lot of photos of Fischer's lovebirds, where they appear in all their glory. However, like any pet, a bird needs care and attention. Only then will the pet be active and beautiful.
The parrot will spend most of its time in the cage, so it is important that it matches the size of the lovebird. Even if the pet is small, it should flutter freely and spread its wings, since mobility is one of the characteristic characteristics of the species. If the square meters of the apartment do not allow you to install a large cage, then you should proceed from the minimum acceptable parameters: for one individual - 80 x 30 x 40 cm, for a pair - 100 x 40 x 50 cm. The bird must be able to make at least two wing flaps.
It is better to give preference to standard cage shapes - rectangular and square. The distance between the rods is 1.0-1.5 cm. Today, almost all cages have a retractable bottom, which is comfortable both for the owners themselves and for the birds, which will not need to be disturbed during cleaning. You can cover it with paper or cover it with a layer of sand, previously washed and calcined.
Cell location
Selecting a “place of residence” for a lovebird is an important process. The cage should not be in a place where there are drafts, because parrots, as well as other animals, suffer greatly from them. It is important that the pet does not experience a lack of light, but direct sunlight should also be avoided. If a window sill is chosen as a place for the lovebird, then the cage should be protected by at least tulle. In winter, autumn, and cloudy weather, it is worth using additional lighting.
Despite the fact that Fischer's lovebirds - birds living in the tropical forests of Africa and Madagascar, excessive heat will only harm them. Nearby radiators and other heating devices will cause your pet a lot of discomfort.
Viewing angle also matters. Lovebirds are a very inquisitive and sociable species of parrots. They like to watch what is happening around them, therefore, you should not place the cage low, for example, on the floor. Placing the parrot on a cabinet or other high place is also not recommended. The best option is to place the cage with lovebirds at eye level of the owners. Thus, household members will feel comfortable observing the behavior of their pets, and the parrots will not feel lonely.
Equipment
All utensils should be washed every day, and perches should be cleaned and disinfected once a week.
Feeding
After purchase, the bird may refuse food that is unusual for it. You should start adapting your pet with canary seed - it is suitable for everyone. Regular food is gradually added to it. The basis of the diet should be a grain mixture for medium parrots, which must be sifted. It is important to remember that each bird species has its own characteristics, including feeding. Therefore, food for budgies is not suitable for lovebirds.
The mixture must be supplemented with fruits and vegetables (apricot, kiwi, cherry, carrots, cauliflower, cucumbers, nuts). Sprouted grass (millet, oats) is very useful for parrots.
Birds should not be overfed. The daily food intake is 2-3 teaspoons.
Fisher's lovebirds- parrots are bright, cheerful and sociable. They are unpretentious in their maintenance, they can even learn a few words (provided that the chick was born in captivity) and become an important part of the house or apartment.
In Northern Tanzania, near the largest freshwater lake on the African continent, live small, colorful parrots named after the German explorer Adolf Fischer.
Fisher's lovebirds (lat. Agapornis fischeri) did not choose the vicinity of Lake Victoria by chance. The picturesque area is literally buried in flowers and herbs, which means that there is also the favorite food of miniature birds - plant seeds. True, sometimes these parrots make predatory raids on agricultural fields, wanting to feast on planted cereals, for which they have gained fame as pests.
Fischer's lovebirds do not at all seek to hide in the foliage. The rich colors of their feathers simply scream about the desire to stand out and decorate this world. Both males and females have a green belly, back and tail with a blue rump, a yellowish-orange head, white “spectacles” around the eyes and a scarlet beak. In general, they are quite difficult to distinguish from each other. Except that the females are slightly larger than their partners.
In the wild, they live in small flocks, splitting into pairs during the nesting period. There is an opinion that the female and the male suffer so much when separated that they can even die of melancholy, for which they are called lovebirds. Actually this is not true.
Small African parrots really create very strong marriages, but they can also separate if necessary. For example, when neighbors oppress the newlyweds too much, the weaker bird may fly away out of harm's way and then return as if nothing had happened.
Fisher's lovebirds make nests in trees or rock crevices. It is interesting that the female carries the material for construction on herself, cleverly hiding it in the plumage of her back. The male only accompanies her on these forays. But then, when she lays from 3 to 8 white eggs and begins incubation, the male carefully feeds his partner and selflessly protects the family.
After 22 or 24 days, the lovebirds’ “house” becomes noisy - helpless, blind chicks appear, covered with thick orange-red down. Their father and mother feed them until they learn to fly on their own, and then feed them for a while.
At ten days of age, the chicks’ eyes open, and after another 20 days they acquire “adult” feathers. They begin to fly 35-40 days after hatching, but are ready to create their own family only at 10-11 months.
Fischer's lovebirds arrived in Europe in 1930 and have been successfully bred in captivity ever since. They are unpretentious in their keeping and willingly eat food for medium-sized parrots. Only the cage for them must be spacious enough and equipped with various devices for games, otherwise the 15-centimeter birds will quickly turn into clumsy fat balls.
It is better to buy Fischer's lovebirds when they are children - adult birds do not bond well with their owners. You can keep one parrot, but when choosing a pair, you should take into account that these birds prefer to look for a partner themselves.
Beautiful and healthy randomly selected pairs of lovebirds may not produce offspring for a very long time, resisting the imposed “marriage.” Therefore, it is worth purchasing a male and a female that already sympathize with each other in the store.
In itself, such varieties of parrots as - are very popular among lovers of feathered pets. Often, just looking at one of the many photos of parrots sitting side by side is enough and you will immediately want to have a similar pair as your pets.
There will be no exceptions to the Fisher's lovebirds we describe, who love the company of birds like themselves. This, in turn, does not mean that it is necessary to purchase them in pairs, but otherwise you will have to play the role of their friend. In this case, you will have to visit the cage as often as possible, talk and play with your feathered pet.
In general, there are not so many Fischer lovebirds in nature. As a result, they were even listed in the Red Book.
As you can see from many photos, Fischer's lovebird has an incredibly beautiful and bright coloring that attracts attention from the first minutes.
Appearance of a parrot
The length of adult individuals reaches fifteen or more centimeters, making it stand out from the background of most small birds. In addition, this species has a bright, memorable coloring that is simply impossible to confuse. It’s quite easy to verify this, just look at the photos presented on our website.
Typically, the colors of this type of parrot are dominated by green, blue and bright orange. The weight of adult individuals fluctuates around fifty grams.
But despite such a bright coloring, there are a number of differences that can be used to distinguish a young individual from an older one. This question is very relevant, since when purchasing one, they try to choose a younger parrot. Since younger individuals are more amenable to training. Thus, young individuals have a slight darkening on their beak, which disappears as the bird matures.
However, this is not the only difficulty faced at the time of choice. In addition to the desire to choose a younger parrot, sometimes they give preference to one or another sex of the selected individual. In this case, you should remember the following rule. The female is somewhat larger and has a wider beak. You will not find more detailed descriptions, since they simply do not exist. In most cases, it is impossible to distinguish what gender the bird is in front of you, except for special tests.
Natural habitat
Parrots of this species have become widespread throughout Africa, living in steppe areas with nearby bodies of water, to which they flock from time to time to drink.
They do not live alone, but in small groups of several dozen individuals. In this connection, it is not uncommon for the entire flock to flock to a feast on some nearby farm, attacking the crops growing there. Perhaps this is why in some areas this type of parrot is considered a pest.
In general, they love all kinds of berries and grains growing nearby.
Domestication of lovebirds
Purchasing this type of parrot is often the right choice for many reasons. Even though they are very difficult to train to imitate human speech, this species of parrot is very active and is constantly doing something. They are very mischievous and cheerful birds with whom you will never get bored.
But before you bring your chosen pet to your home, you should make sure in advance that you have large sizes available. Lovebirds do not like to huddle in small cages. In addition, the parrot must receive a sufficient amount of sunlight, and therefore it is more advisable to place the cage closer to the window.
In cases where it is problematic to fulfill this requirement, it is worth thinking about purchasing special daylight for the birds to illuminate their spacious home.
Some owners even prefer to buy special air humidifiers, trying to please their pet. This does not mean that you should create in your apartment some kind of jungle familiar to birds. It’s just that apartments tend to have dry air. Therefore, by purchasing a humidifier, you will not only improve the well-being of your pet, but you will also feel more energetic.
Feeding
This type of parrot is unpretentious in food and will happily eat grains and various grain mixtures offered to it. In addition, he will probably strive to get into your plate and try what you eat yourself. We should not allow him to do this, since our food is mostly harmful to lovebirds and can provoke, if not obesity, then some.
If you still want to pamper your feathered friend, then offer him fresh berries. This food is more suitable for them, especially considering that in the wild his relatives mainly ate it.
At the same time, do not forget to feed your pet, since lovebirds themselves are very active and quickly consume the calories received from food, returning for a new portion of sweets.
Parrot breeding
Lovebirds of the described species breed from June to July, creating mating unions during this period and choosing a mate. The resulting couple will be together no matter what happens.
During this period, the female intensively searches for a nesting place, or creates it herself, from twigs found nearby. Therefore, even at home, it is advisable to place a certain number of branches in the cage.
In general, it will be enough to purchase a special nesting house sold in pet stores, which will subsequently serve as a nest for newborn chicks.
The chicks are born blind and open their eyes only after a couple of weeks. They become covered with feathers only after a month. Then they begin to try to get out of the nest in an attempt to explore the world that interests them. After some time they begin to learn to fly.
If you are interested in the information we provide, we advise you to take a closer look at the photos presented on our website. Perhaps Lovebirds is the one that would suit you perfectly.