The nesting and feeding habits of all 8 lovebird species in captivity

Parrots magazine September 2011

Each species of lovebird, has its own nesting habits, and favour particular foods. In this article, Pauline James sets out exactly what their specific needs and preferences are.

Peach-faced, Masked, Fischer’s, Black-cheeked and Nyasa’s lovebirds all construct their own nests using strips or chewed pieces of willow, so it is important to provide a copious and regular supply of clean, fresh branches, at the onset of the breeding season. Stripping or chewing-off pieces of willow - together with a good diet, and high fitness levels, helps to bring adults, of these five most commonly-kept species, into full breeding condition.

As they strip the outer layer from the branches, Peach-faced hens painstakingly load up their rumps, piece by piece, in their ruffled feathers. When they have positioned 6-8 strips, each about 15cm (6in) long, they clamp their feathers down tightly, to secure them for the flight back to the nest-box. Although the male makes no contribution towards nest-building, he strips the willow branches alongside the female, and rather oddly fastidiously positions each strip in the crux of his throat, dropping it when he looks up!