Yellow lovebird. Rosy-cheeked lovebirds. Life in the wild

Appearance

Body length 17 cm, wings 10 cm; weight 40-60 g. The coloring is very beautiful, with intense green tones, the back of the back with a blue tint. The throat and cheeks are pink, the forehead is bright red, the beak is straw-yellow. The middle tail feathers are green, the lateral tail feathers are red with wide black stripes and narrow green stripes at the tip, the tail coverts are bright blue. Young chicks have a brown-black beak with a light tip. There is no red color in the coloration. Females are slightly larger than males, less brightly colored.

Spreading

Lifestyle

They inhabit dry areas, but always keep to places with water sources. They live in flocks, and when nesting they are divided into pairs and occupy hollows or nests of sparrows or weavers under the nest. They also nest in human dwellings - in the walls of huts and under the roofs of houses.

Reproduction

The nest is arranged by the female. She also transfers the nesting material, thrusting it into the feathers of the upper tail. It often happens that during one "flight" the female carries 6-8 pieces of bark on herself, pressing them tightly with her uppertail feathers. A clutch contains from 3 to 6 white eggs. The female incubates the clutch for 21-23 days. Juveniles fly out of the nest at the age of 5-6 weeks. The male feeds them for about two more weeks, and the female prepares for the next clutch. Young chicks leaving the nest already fly well, and after 12-15 days they become completely independent. The color of young birds is dimmer, the beak is gray-black. They completely overshadow at the age of 6-8 months.

The most common of this genus among fans of parrot cages. Usually, like all lovebirds, they are kept in pairs, but when kept alone, pink-cheeked lovebirds quickly become tame and can learn to speak a few words. For a long time lovebirds were considered to be unable to learn, but in recent years there have been increasing reports of talking lovebirds.

Photo

Notes (edit)

Literature

• Grinev V.A.Parrots: A Reference Guide. - M .: Timber industry, 1991 .-- 334 with ISBN 5-7120-0296-5
• Yerusalimsky I. Parrots and songbirds: types, maintenance, training. - Rostov-on-Don: Vladis, 2001 .-- 320 s ISBN 5-94194-073-4
• Ostapenko V. A. Birds in your home: A reference guide. - M .: Arnadia, 1996 .-- ISBN 5-88666-011-9
• Encyclopedia of decorative and exotic birds / Avt-comp. A.P. Umeltsev. - M .: Lokid-Press, 2002 .-- 368 p.

The family of parrots has more than three hundred species of birds, many of which end up in our homes as pets. One of the most popular species is the pink-cheeked lovebird.

Those who want to get a parrot will be interested in learning about his appearance and character, as well as about the conditions of detention.

Description

The first to describe this species of birds was the French ornithologist, the author of many works on birds, Louis Viejo.

Appearance and dimensions

At first glance, lovebirds differ little from other parrots, but their appearance has its own characteristic features:

• sizes - 15–17 cm from beak to tail;
• weight 55-60 g;
• wingspan - about 25 cm;
• the main color of the species is a bright green body interspersed with bright blue feathers on the tail and black on the tips of the wings, the skin on the paws is light gray;
• a distinctive feature of the species is a bright pink spot that covers the frontal part, cheeks and napella;
• beak - small, strongly curved downward;
• beak color - gray or yellowish.

Thanks to selection, many color variations have appeared:

• yellow;
• orange;
• spotted;
• lutino;
• blue.

Did you know? Historians first discovered the word "parrot" in Russian written sources in Boris Godunov's "Property Inventory". The document is dated 1589.

Temperament and intelligence

The lovebird can be aggressive towards other species of birds, therefore, if you want to have several pets, it is better to purchase representatives of only this species. The bird is friendly and sociable with other lovebirds.
Lovebirds are active and inquisitive - if you want to see an interlocutor in your pet, he should be the only bird in the house. Also keep in mind that males are better trained. A lonely male will see a friend in a man and try to reproduce the sounds heard from him, but a couple of birds will be busy exclusively with communication with each other.

The energy of the feathered will require an exit, so you will need to devote a significant part of your free time to the lovebird, as its name warns about. And so that he does not get bored in your absence, you need to fill his cage with toys.

Distribution area and habitat

The parrot lives in such African countries as Namibia, South Africa, Angola. Birds flock and settle in any place where there is a source of water. At the time of nesting, they form pairs, retiring in the hollows of old trees. These parrots, even wild ones, are not afraid of people, so they may well settle under the roof of a residential building.
Lovebirds live up to twenty years.

Reproduction in the natural environment

During the breeding season, a pair is formed under the influence of mutual sympathy. The female is solely engaged in arranging the nest - she brings grass and thin twigs, lining the bottom of the hollow or nest with them. Clutch consists of three to six eggs, hatching time is 21 days on average.

While the female heats the clutch, the second parent takes care of her, bringing food. Chicks appear at intervals of one to two days, blind and practically naked. After ten days, the eyes open, and at the age of 29–31 days, their bodies are already completely covered with plumage.
After the chicks appear, both parents are engaged in feeding them. When the chicks learn to fly and are able to leave the house, adult custody ends, but not immediately - for two weeks the adult couple still looks after their offspring.

The main condition for comfort for birds is the availability of sufficient space for games, communication and relaxation, the pet should not be cramped.

Cell selection criteria:

• the most preferred shape is rectangular;
• dimensions - 100x50x70 cm;
• cage material - metal, plastic.

Important! The design of the acquired cage should not contain inserts of copper, lead, zinc: these metals are toxic to birds.

Care and hygiene

Lovebirds love to splash in the water - install a small but deep container for this purpose. The drinker and the feeder must be washed from food debris daily. Once a month, disinfect the cage and household items with special agents, and then thoroughly rinse everything in clean water. It is also necessary to regularly remove the bedding layer and fill in a new one.
If sand or sawdust is not purchased from a pet store, they must first be thoroughly sieved and disinfected. You can ignite or scald with boiling water, then dry.

Feeding and water

To diversify the diet of lovebirds, it is advisable to hang two feeders on the cage - for dry grain mixtures and for wet and juicy feed.

You can give your pet the following products:

Did you know? Parrots have inspired many famous artists of the past and present. Frida Kahlo painted several self-portraits with birds, there are canvases with their image by Melchior de Hondecuter, Alexei Belsky, Hunt Slonem, Robert Bateman.

When purchasing one bird, keep in mind that it will need to devote a lot of time to communication. If you do not have such an opportunity, you need to buy a couple of birds so that the pet does not wither away alone. Compliance with the rules of keeping birds, a balanced diet and active leisure provided by games and fun in a cage will prolong their life in your home and the joy of communicating with birds.

Video: how to distinguish a male from a female in lovebirds

Now, as I write these lines, from the cage in my hallway, I can hear the sonorous and very optimistic voice of my pet, a pink-cheeked lovebird named Kiwi. Sometimes I learn to live with him, because this bird never gets discouraged, in all situations it shows activity, vigor, strong character and bright personality.

Nowadays, these small and very interesting parrots are often kept in captivity. In their homeland (Africa and Madagascar), they usually keep in small flocks, never flying far from the water. They fly quickly, emitting a sharp loud cry during flight. Therefore, a flying flock of these parrots always makes itself felt. This is exactly how my pet behaves, rapidly moving around the room and announcing it with very loud sounds. Of course, not all my guests like his screams, but they have to endure ...

Lovebirds not only fly quickly, but also climb well, skillfully using their beak and legs; run well on the ground. These parrots feed on various berries and small seeds, which are found on the ground, in bushes and in trees. Probably, animal food (insects and their larvae) are also present in their diet.

The most widely known myth about these wonderful birds is that the death of one of the birds in a pair, allegedly, entails the immediate death of the other bird "from longing." In fact, this does not happen, and the surviving bird usually finds a new partner. For many years, I personally had to keep rosy-cheeked lovebirds one by one. These birds, taken to my house by fledglings, became completely tame and always pleased the owners with their peculiar behavior. It should be admitted, however, that each of these lovebirds perceived me as their chosen one (or the chosen one?) And actively sought to persuade me to reproduce together. I stubbornly rejected their endless courtship, which probably greatly upset my winged pets.

Lovebirds are really very attached to each other, but the prevailing opinion about the marital fidelity of these parrots and the tragic consequences of their separation is an exaggeration. I will note, however, that, from my point of view, the debunking of this myth does not at all diminish the various merits of these wonderful birds.

Lovebirds' gravitation towards "society" has long been noticed. It is known that they settle in the collective nests of small passerine birds of weavers, as well as under the roofs of houses in the nests of swallows. Lovebirds transfer twigs, fragments of bark or blades of grass in a very original way, known only to parrots. They stick them into the plumage of the back or upper tail, and so they fly with a load "over their shoulders". The spectacle, frankly, is hilarious!

How are parental responsibilities distributed between representatives of different sexes in these birds? As it turns out, at different stages of reproduction, it is not at all equally divided, but this does not at all violate the harmony between partners. The nest is built by the female, she incubates eggs. The male takes care of feeding the incubating female, and then the chicks. This "division of labor" turns out to be very useful, and there is probably never any disagreement between birds about it.

Rosy-cheeked (red-cheeked) lovebirds breed easily in captivity. To do this, they need a nest box with a square base 20 X 20 cm, a height of 22-25 cm and an entrance in the upper part of its front wall. This structure is inherently similar to the hollow of a tree in which lovebirds usually lay their eggs while living in the wild. The birds will make a nest inside the "hollow" themselves from torn off strips of bark of linden or willow branches, which must be placed on the bottom of a large cage or aviary where parrots will breed. In a clutch there are 2-5 white, almost round eggs. They are well protected from a variety of hazards inside a tree trunk or nest box. Apparently, this is why chicks develop slowly (in comparison with birds nesting openly). After young birds become independent, they must be removed from their parents, otherwise the latter can kill them. These are such cruel morals of these outwardly harmless creatures! Sometimes adult lovebirds injure their chicks' legs: they begin to grab the fingers with their beak and bite them off. Wow - parents! But let's not condemn our pets from the animal world, whose behavior is often dictated by a cruel but rational instinct. Probably, young birds living in nature and driven away by their parents, at their very first "demand", would fly off to the required distance, and the aggressive actions of adults would end there. In a cramped cage or even an aviary, this is impossible. It is unlikely that in the wild, these birds come to seriously injure each other.

Lovebirds behave just as aggressively towards birds of other species, kept together with them in the same cage or aviary. With their beaks, rosy-cheeked lovebirds can injure even a person. There were cases when they bite to the blood of the guests who came to me, inadvertently thrust their finger into the cage with the "cute bird" ...

However, the behavior of these birds is also of a completely different nature. When keeping rosy-cheeked lovebirds in a small flock, you can observe their gentle, touching attitude towards each other. Birds, distributed in pairs, touch each other's feathers. The male feeds the female, both birds are friendly, at the same time they fly to the feeding trough or drink water. With the onset of puberty, the male looks after only his female, not paying attention to others.

It is better to breed lovebirds in spring and autumn, when it is not yet hot, but the duration of daylight hours is sufficient and fresh greens are abundant. It is recommended to remove nest boxes in late autumn, winter and mid-summer in order to stop laying eggs and incubating chicks. In the hot season and with low air humidity, embryos in eggs overheat and die. In winter, due to a lack of vitamins, chicks often grow weak, and death among them is observed more often.

Fortunately, this did not happen with my current pet at its chick age. Again I hear his sharp, piercing, but already so familiar voice for all of us. Calls me to the cage; sways funny on his feet, as if dancing; nods his head up and down, clearly wants to talk ... I go up. I open the door. The parrot immediately sits on my hand, expresses complete bliss. However, the harmful nature of this bird unexpectedly manifests itself: the lovebird bites me painfully on the index finger. I indignantly say: "You can't bite!" The parrot, as if apologetically, nods quickly and tries to feed my innocently injured finger with the grain that has just been regurgitated from its own beak. This is the relationship ...

The bird, as I indicated earlier, is completely tame. The reason was that this lovebird was acquired by me at a very young age (2.5 months), was kept alone and therefore had to be human-oriented in his behavior.

The lovebird's getting used to its new owner was very interesting. In the very first days in my house, the bird allowed itself to be pulled together. After about a week, the lovebird began to climb on my hand with the help of its beak and paws, lie down on my palm and snuggle up to it in anticipation of affection.

Interestingly, another lovebird of the same species, who lived with me earlier, behaved completely differently at the first stage of domestication. At first he was quite aggressive, when he tried to pick him up, he bit hard. However, my patience and perseverance did bear fruit. After about three weeks, the young parrot was already sitting on my finger, showing no signs of irritation.

These birds often climb the metal bars of the cage using their beak and paws; examine the various objects in it, hang with the help of beaks on the wall of the cage. Note that this is generally typical for parrots of different species. It is no coincidence that some jokers call them "monkeys with feathers."

When released into the room from the cage, my current pet, describing an arc in the air, sits on my head and can stay there for a long time, looking around or fingering the hair on the back of a person's head. "Traveling" around the room, the bird is happy to overturn various light objects, sometimes dropping them on the floor. With its tendency to manipulate objects, the parrot is very reminiscent of a small, but already very active child. Therefore, a bird flying freely around the room needs careful observation from its owner. Anyone who keeps this peculiar bird at home can observe similar or other behavioral reactions of a parrot with great interest. The tame lovebird very quickly wins the sympathy of all family members and becomes a favorite pet, like a cat or dog.

LITERATURE

1. Akimushkin I.I. Animal world: Birds. Fish, amphibians and reptiles. - M .: Mysl, 1995 .-- 325 p ..

2. Gusev V.G. Animals in Our Home: A Reference Guide. - M.: Ecology, 1992 .-- 366 p.

3. Ganzak J. Illustrated Encyclopedia of Birds / Ed. I. A. Neifeldt and P. M. Pozdnysheva. - Prague: Ed. Artia, 1974 .-- 648 p.

4. Grinev V.A. Parrots: A Reference Guide. - M .: Forest industry, 1991.

5. Animal life. In 7 volumes. V. 6. Birds / Ed. V.D. Ilyicheva, A.V. Mikheeva. - M., Education, 1986 .-- 713 p.

6. Lukina E.V. Exotic birds in our home. - L .: Ed. Leningrad. University, 1986 .-- 296 p.

7. Rakhmanov A.I. Lovebird parrots. Overview of species. Content. Care. Treatment. - M .: AQUARIUM LTD, 2002 .-- 64 p.

8. Samusenko E.G. Friends of our home. - Minsk: Polymya, 1993. - 270 p.

9. Simonov B.A. Singing and decorative birds. - Tashkent, Uzbekistan, 1977.

The pink-cheeked lovebird is a tamed bird that is small in size. The feathered pet got its name due to the fact that it cannot live without its mate. He is endowed with a wonderful friendly character and unusual beauty that attracts the attention of many people. For this reason, it is worthwhile to carefully study its main features.

Pink-cheeked lovebirds are small birds that look a lot like bullfinches. Their habitat is Africa, the island of Madagascar. From this it is worth highlighting the feature - they are accustomed to hot weather conditions.

If you pay attention to the name "lovebird", then you can note the characteristic quality of birds - they choose a mate for themselves and remain faithful to her until the end of their lives. They are faithful, there are legends that tell that they cannot even live one day without their mate.

It is worth highlighting the main qualities of the appearance of parrots:

• birds have a small body, on average, its length is 12-15 cm;
• the weight of the bird is from 50 to 60 grams;
• they are endowed with a large head and compact body;
• their tail is short, slightly rounded towards the end;
• the bird has a strong and strong beak, which, when struck, can inflict severe wounds;
• lovebird parrots have short but strong legs. This is what allows them to confidently climb and run in trees;
• birds have beautiful and bright colors of plumage. The dominant color is green. The throat and cheeks are light pink in color, and the beak has a straw yellow tint. Side feathers can have different colors - red, blue, orange with wide black stripes and narrow green stripes at the end. The tail feathers are colored blue.

Life in the wild

In nature, pink-cheeked lovebirds live in the dry regions of the Southwest of the African continent. The largest number of them is observed in Angola, Namibia, South Africa. But they prefer to settle in places near the water.

They are also found in dry savannas and sandy plains at elevations no more than 1.6 km above sea level. There is evidence that the parrots were introduced and distributed in the lands of Puerto Rico.

Lifestyle

Parrots pink-cheeked lovebirds prefer to lead a sedentary lifestyle. They keep in small flocks, which usually consist of 15-20 individuals. During nesting, the flock breaks up into pairs.

Birds prefer to make nests in different places:

• in the hollows of trees;
• they can inhabit nests in which other birds previously lived;
• under the roofs of houses;
• in the crevices of the walls.

What do they eat?

Pink-cheeked lovebirds in the wild feed on the same thing as other feathered inhabitants. In this regard, they are unpretentious. Their diet includes the following types of plant components:

• berry;
• seeds;
• fruits of wild and cultivated plants;
• nuts;
• flowers.

Reproduction

In lovebirds, the female is engaged in the construction of the nest. She shows good intelligence during this process. All the twigs that come across in her path, she carefully hides in the tail feathers. This allows her to carry several branches at once in one flight.

After this, the eggs are laid and deposited:

• the female lays from 3 to 6 eggs in the nest;
• incubation takes three weeks;
• after that, young parrots with a fragile body are born;
• it takes 6 weeks for the chicks to get stronger and be able to leave the nest on their own. At this time, the male takes care of them.

Home content

Many people often choose a pink-cheeked lovebird for keeping at home. He attracts with the beauty of his appearance, good-natured and sociable character. But it is worth remembering that he can show aggression towards other species of birds, sometimes he can attack, peck at other feathered inhabitants.

Important! If you want to buy a pair for him, then preference should be given to birds of the same breed. He will quickly find a common language with another feathered pet, they form a strong pair for many years.

And if you want a pet to teach human speech, then he should be alone. In these cases, he will see a friend in the owner, and will repeat all his words and actions. But at the same time, the owner must constantly pay attention to him, take care.

Arrangement of the cell

When arranging a cage, the following recommendations must be observed:

• small cages for a lovebird will be uncomfortable, even though the bird is small, it needs a lot of space;
• it is important for a couple that the size of the free space is 80x30x40 cm, therefore, it is required to purchase a cage with dimensions of 100x40x50 cm;
• the rods must be made of a metal base, they must be located in a horizontal position;
• the product should be purchased with a retractable bottom;
• it is recommended to lay material with good moisture absorption on the bottom surface;
• there must be a reservoir in the cage, because lovebirds love to swim and clean feathers. You can also periodically spray the birds with water from a spray bottle;
• perches should be placed at different heights, there should be several of them;
• for games there should be ropes, bamboo rings, toys;
• in order for the pet to hide and rest, it is necessary to install a small house for sleeping.

Feeding

Since the red-cheeked parrot is an unpretentious bird, there should not be any special problems with the preparation of the diet. The menu must include the following types of food:

• various vegetables;
• fruits;
• greens;
• lettuce leaves, dandelion;
• corn;
• millet;
• carrot;
• oats;
• wheat;
• sunflower seeds;
• canary seed;
• berry.

In addition, it is important to follow some feeding rules:

• Lovebirds are not advised to give sweet, salty, spicy foods. Do not feed them with cookies, pies, chips, chocolate;
• young feathered pets need to be fed often, up to 4-5 times a day;
• for adults, it is enough to give food once a day;
• it is imperative to install a drinking water cup, which must be changed every day;
• during reproduction, birds are given white bread soaked in milk or water, a boiled egg, sprouted millet or oats, grated carrots, crumbly millet porridge, cottage cheese, flour worms;
• there must be mineral stones in the cage;
• additionally, young pets need to be fed with trace elements and vitamin C.

Breeding

Reproduction of pink-cheeked lovebirds at home has some important features:

• do not use birds under 2 years old;
• individuals are planted in a 1: 1 ratio;
• a couple should give no more than 2 broods per year;
• mating is recommended in autumn and spring;
• during the breeding season, the duration of daylight hours increases, and branches are laid in the cage to build a nest;
• incubation lasts 22 days;
• at the age of 55-60 days, chicks can be sown.

Many scientists are crossing with other species in order to develop new breeds. This process requires a lot of knowledge and attention. At home, it is better not to resort to this, otherwise you can harm the feathered pets.

Red-cheeked lovebirds are interesting birds that get along well in the wild and in captivity. When keeping a house for pets, all the necessary conditions should be presented - arrangement of the cage, feeding, care, attention. It should be borne in mind that this bird loves communication, affection and care, which it must be provided with.

The Rosy-faced Lovebird is a bird of the parrot family. The Latin name is Agapornis roseicollis. Also known as the pink-headed lovebird. Perhaps the most common pet among other lovebirds. Very curious and very active parrots, which are always interesting to watch from the sidelines. It is on the IUCN Red List of Least Threatened Species (LC category).

Description

The description of the pink-cheeked lovebird was made in 1818 by the French ornithologist Louis Jean Pierre Viejo.

A medium-sized parrot with a strong constitution weighing 45-60 grams, the sizes are presented below:

• body with a tail up to 16 cm;
• wingspan 10 cm;
• tail length 4.5-5 cm.

In adults, the beak is large, strong, straw-colored. The young have black spots on the tip of the beak.

The plumage is beautiful, the main color is grassy green. The tail is short, rounded with black, blue and red feathers. On the back there is a bluish-blue oval spot. The forehead is bright pink. The cheeks and throat are pink, sometimes tinged with orange. Females are slightly larger than males, and have a dull color. The paws are gray with a greenish tinge.

Life expectancy at home is on average 15 to 20 years. Life expectancy in the wild cannot be accurately determined.

Introduced to Europe in 1860 by the founder of the world's largest wildlife trading firm, Karl Hagenbeck. And already in 1869 the first offspring were bred at the Berlin Zoo.

To date, more than 60 different color forms have been bred! One of the most beautiful is the Dutch blue pink-cheeked lovebird.

Distribution in wildlife

This species of lovebirds inhabits the dry regions of the Southwest of the African continent. Namely in Angola, Namibia and South Africa. But nevertheless, they always settle near water sources. They predominate in dry savannas and sandy plains at elevations no more than 1600 m above sea level. It is reliably known that pink-cheeked lovebirds were introduced and distributed throughout Puerto Rico.

Leads a sedentary lifestyle. They keep in small flocks of about 15-20 individuals. During the nesting period, the flock breaks up into pairs. Rosy-cheeked lovebirds make nests in tree holes, in abandoned nests of other birds, and also often under rooftops and in crevices of walls.

The pink-cheeked lovebirds feed on seeds and fruits of wild and cultivated plants, fruits, nuts and flowers.

When the temperature drops, they can gather in small heaps of 5-7 individuals and bask against each other.

Some time ago, uncontrolled trapping and over-selling contributed significantly to the decline in the number of pink-cheeked lovebirds.

Currently, the total population of pink-cheeked lovebirds has not been determined. It is only noted that the trend in the number of these parrots is decreasing.

Lovebirds have long become poultry and keeping them is not difficult. Most often they are kept in pairs, but when keeping one parrot, it can be trained to repeat a few words.

Since these are heat-loving parrots, it is better to place them in a warm room in winter. The cage should be placed somewhere in a well-lit place, but in such a way out of direct sunlight. It should be remembered that the lovebird house should be a place for them to sleep, rest and feed. The rest of the time they should fly freely, while satisfying their curiosity. Otherwise, it can have an extremely negative effect on the well-being of these pets. A lovebird cage must contain the following characteristics:

• the size should not be less than 75 * 40 * 45 centimeters;
• the width between the rods is 12-14 millimeters;
• the material of construction must be metallic and non-toxic.

Since lovebirds love free space, you shouldn't clutter up their cage with different toys. There should be a bathtub for bathing, since parrots are very fond of water procedures, and also two perches on which they can sit. It is not recommended to put a mirror in the cage, it is believed that it has a negative effect on their psyche. If the cage is not very large, then only one parrot should be kept, two should be kept only in a large and spacious one.

Another point to note is that lovebirds are very susceptible to cigarette smoke. They tend to get depressed from it, lose activity and die quickly, so cigarette lovers should refrain from purchasing these parrots. You should not keep lovebirds in drafts, but they also cannot stand the stuffiness, so it is recommended to ventilate the room in which they are more often.

In the bird cage, there must certainly be a feeder, a container for water, as well as a separate bowl with river sand. It is necessary for the normal digestion of food, you can also add chalk or lime to it. All containers should be located in such a place that they do not get poultry droppings. They should also be washed frequently to minimize the risk of illness for lovebirds.

Due to their complex nature, pink-cheeked lovebirds do not get along well with other parrots.

Features of the diet

The main food of these parrots is grain (seeds of wild and cultivated plants). Also, pieces of fruits, berries, vegetables and herbs should be added to it in small quantities. Since lovebirds are naturally very active, they have a fast metabolism, so that they do not starve, food must be nutritious and well balanced. That is, it should contain fats, proteins and carbohydrates in balanced proportions, as well as useful trace elements.

Also, food should not be monotonous, otherwise the parrots will eat it badly, which can lead to their death. It is forbidden to add spicy, salty, fatty or sweet foods to the diet of birds.

Reproduction

In the wild, pink-cheeked lovebirds are ready to breed within 8 months of hatching. The female is engaged in the construction of the nest. She carries building material, stuffing it into feathers on her back and upper tail.

It is better to start breeding pink-cheeked lovebirds when they are one and a half years old. The best time for this is the end of February and beginning of March.

during the breeding season, a nesting house is installed in the cage, the length and width of which is 18 cm, and the height is 25 cm and the tap hole is 6 cm in diameter. Building material is thrown into the cage: thin twigs of willow, birch, linden.

It should be understood that for the successful reproduction of these parrots, it is necessary to choose a pair for him. Moreover, she should not be a close relative of him. Since the decisive factor in choosing a partner is personal sympathy, therefore, a pair should be selected in accordance with the observed preferences of the parrot. Otherwise, the couple may not have offspring, although all the conditions have been created for this.

If active males come across, then the mating process takes place quite quickly. But usually it is accompanied by long courtship in the form of plucking feathers to the female, accompanying to different places, as well as feeding her from her beak. However, these birds are very selective, therefore, even during courtship, quarrels can be observed between them. They can also chase each other, giving them no time to rest or eat. In this case, it is recommended to separate the birds for a while, and then put them back together in the cage. If, after parting, they can find a common language, then everything must be left as it is, and if not, then you will have to select another partner.

Since the chicks of lovebird parrots are very susceptible to hypothermia and overheating, it is better to carry out the breeding process in spring or autumn. You can, of course, do this in the summer, but for this you need to provide acceptable conditions for the parrots and their offspring. One clutch contains from 4 to 6 eggs. The incubation time is about 3 weeks. Throughout this period, the male feeds the female and chicks. During the breeding season, pink-cheeked lovebirds are recommended to additionally feed the following products:

• boiled egg;
• millet, wheat and oats;
• grated carrot;
• fresh non-fatty cottage cheese;
• meal worms.

At the moment of hatching, the chicks are absolutely defenseless and practically naked. Therefore, within two months after birth and before leaving the nest, they require careful care and attention. After 33-39 days, the chicks leave the nest. At the age of two months, pairs are already formed, and the first molt begins in 4-5 months.