Fischer's Lovebird (Agapornis fischeri)
Photo credit: grasparkiet.com
Length: 5.5-6 in. from the top of the head to the tip of the tail
Level of aggression: Low
Fischer's Lovebirds (Agapornis fischeri) are popular pets.
BEHAVIOR IN THE WILD The wild habitat of Fischer's Lovebirds includes only a samll area to the south of Lake Victoria on the grassy plains of Tanzania where acacia, palm and baobob tree grows. Wild Fischer's Lovebirds prefer to live in these trees, especially those that grow in small clusters on the plains.
These birds eat acacis and grass seeds, as well as millet. They chirp to each other as they fly quickly in straight lines from point to point. Females carry twigs, bark and other nesting materials in their beaks.
These birds are often killed in their native habitat because they destroy the grain crops they favor. They generally live in small flocks in the wild. A wild-colored Fischer's Lovebird has a dark orange head and chest with a green body and wings. The back of the head is olive green. The neck collar is yellowish green. The feathers on the bird's underparts are yellowish green. It has a distinctive white eye ring around a brown eye. The beak is reddish orange and the legs are gray. The rump is blue. These birds are not sexually dimorphic; you cannot tell mates and females apart by looking at them.
SPECIAL CHARACTERISTICS This bird has a shrill call. Twittering is high-pitched. Adult Fischer's Lovebirds are about 5.5 to 6 inches long. Breeders have developed several mutations of the Fischer's Lovebird, including blue, pastel blue, yellow, greenish, yellow-green pied, cinnamon or white (albino). Cinnamon and pastel blue are rare. Mutations can be quite expensive.
Fischer's Lovebirds are considered an excellent bird for the first-time owner because they are robust and easy to handle. These birds have a lot of energy and are fun to watch in their acrobatic play.
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