Lovebird
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[Photo] A family of four lovebirds. The birds, from left to right, are named Parsley, John, Thyme, and Abagail. Parsley and Thyme are named as part of a group of four lovebirds (Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme). John and Abagail are their two chicks, recently fledged. Picture taken by en:User:Fennec http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Fennec

A lovebird (genus Agapornis, Greek for "lovebird") is a very social and affectionate parrot.

The name Lovebird stems from these birds' affectionate nature. This is reflected by the birds name in other languages: in German, "die Unzertrennlichen," and in French "les ins??parables"- "inseparables." For this reason, many people feel strongly that lovebirds in captivity should be kept only in pairs. Others believe that lovebirds, like other parrots, are social animals who can bond with human companions when given a great deal of care and attention.

Lovebirds are about 13-17 cm in size, 40-60 grams in weight and characterized by a small, stocky build and a short, blunt tail. This puts them among the smallest parrots in the world although their beak is rather large for their overall size. Many lovebirds are green, although color mutations can feature many different colors. Some lovebird species, like Fischer's, black cheeked, and the yellow collared lovebird, have a white ring around the eye. Lifespan is 10 to 20 years.

Pet Potential
Lovebirds have the potential to make great pets for those who have the patience and time required of any parrot species. Because of their inclination to bond, they can form great long-term relationships with people.

Provided with space, toys, and love, lovebirds become cherished companions to those who own them. They love to snuggle and can often preen their favorite people.

Species and habits
Eight of the different species come from the mainland of Africa. The ninth species, Agapornis canus, originates from Madagascar. In the wild the different species are separated geographically. Lovebirds live in small flocks and eat mainly fruit, vegetables, some grasses and seed. Black-winged lovebirds also enjoy figs.

Only some of the lovebird species are sexually dimorphic. This includes the Abyssinian lovebird, the Madagascar lovebird, and the black-collared lovebird.

There are a total of 9 different species:

- Peach-faced Lovebird, Agapornis roseicollis
- Masked Lovebird, Agapornis personata
- Fischer's Lovebird, Agapornis fischeri
- Nyasa Lovebird, Agapornis lilianae
- Black-cheeked Lovebird, Agapornis nigrigenis
- Madagascar Lovebird, Agapornis canus
- Abyssinian Lovebird, Agapornis taranta
- Red-faced Lovebird, Agapornis pullarius
- Black-collared Lovebird, Agapornis swinderniana

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lovebird

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