LOVE BIRDS

Commom Name: Lovebird Scientific Name: Agapornis

Origin: Africa and Madagascar. Size: 5-7 inches in length. Average Lifespan: Between 15 and 20 years.
Colors: There are nine sub-species of lovebirds, the Peach-Faced, Red-Faced, Madagascar, Abyssinian,
Nyasa, Swindern's, Masked, Black-Cheeked, and Fischer's. Each type displays different colors and markings,
but the Peach-Faced -- by far the most common -- has a gorgeous yellow, green, and blue body with a
brilliant splash of peach or apricot on their heads. Color mutations also occur in several types, and are often
available.
Feeding: Lovebirds in the wild normally feed on grains, grass, seeds, and berries. They do best in captivity
when fed a high-quality pelleted diet, supplemented with a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables,
particularly greens.

Exercise: Lovebirds make extremely active pets, and must be provided with adequate space to explore,
climb, and fly. Many lovebirds also love to chew, and need to be provided with plenty of wood and toys that
they can exercise their jaw muscles on.

Lovebirds as Pets: Lovebirds reproduce readily, and a single pair can produce 3 clutches of eggs per year.
Many owners of lovebird pairs have been unexpectedly turned into breeders overnight, so many may wish to
purchase DNA sexed birds so that they'll know what to expect.
Fischer's Lovebird

Origin :
Africa.
Cage Size :
Minimum of 22" length by 18" high
and 18" wide.
Weight :
50-55grams.
Foods :
Canary seeds, sunflower seeds, apples,
green vegetables and Pelleted diets
which provide balanced nutrition.
Life Span :
8 to 10 years.




Peach faced Lovebird

The most popular variety among lovebirds. Although they are
quite independent, they make excellent pets. Peach Faced
Lovebird is one of the most beautiful bird with a brilliant light-
red face, blue rumps, gray feet and a horn colored bill. The eyes
are surrounded by a light white ring. They have many different
color mutations. Some of the most common include, Creamino,
Lutino, Orange Faced, White Faced Blue, Blue Pied Dilute,
Fallow, and Cinnamon.



Origin :
Southern Africa.
Cage Size :
Minimum of 22" length by 18" high and 18" wide.
Weight :
40-60grams.
Foods :
Canary seeds, sunflower seeds, apples, green vegetables and Pelleted diets which
provide balanced nutrition.
Life Span :
12-25 years.

Fischer's Lovebird
These small lovebirds are admired for their beautiful
coloration. The face is red in a bright green body; the
forehead, cheeks and throat are bright orange, merging
into yellowish orange on the breast and nape of neck.
The rump is blue and there are blue, orange and black
markings on the tail. The beak is red, the feet and legs
gray. They are very active, always chattering, and
interacting with each other or their owners. Easy to
maintain. The Fischer's Lovebird comes in a wide
variety of color mutations including, Albino, Pied,
Black or Dark Eyed White, Dilute Blue, Dilute Yellow,
Lutino, and Cinnamon.


Origin :
Northwestern Tanzania, south of Lake Victoria.
Cage Size :
18 inches square.
Black-masked lovebirds
The second most popular type of lovebirds after the
peach-faces. Beautiful mutations are found among
Masked lovebirds, including blue, dark factored, lutino,
albino, dilute, pied and more. They are active, always
chirping like the other varieties. These masked birds
make a very sophisticated and chambered nest of
natural material.

Origin :
Africa.
Cage Size :
24 inches long by 20 inches tall by 24 inches wide.
Weight :
50-55grams.
Foods :
Pelleted diets are available for black-masked lovebirds and provide
balanced nutrition in every bite.
Life Span :
18 to 20 years.
CANARY
Canaries are small, lively birds mainly with yellow plumage, known for their sweet and
sparkling harmonies. There are many color variations of the small, active Canary. They were
originally introduced to European bird fanciers in the 1500s by the Spaniards who discovered
them in the Canary Islands off the western coast of Africa. Canaries measure 5" from head to
tip of the tail. Canaries generally don't like to be handled although there are a few rare cases.
They are better as pets to be watched as opposed to being held. Canaries don't require
companionship of their own kind, as long as their human companion talks with them. The
beautiful song of the male bird makes the canary an entertaining pet.

Origin :
Canary Islands.
Genus :
Serinus.
Foods :
Canary seed and green vegetables such as spinach. For most kinds of
canaries, color-feeding (feeding food with dyes to improve plumage) is
recommended.
Life Span :
Maximum 20years.
Types of Canary Birds:

Roller Canary
The common yellow colored canary that is considered to be the best
singer. The Roller Canary is particularly adept with a three-octave
range.


Red Factor
A brilliant red colored canary, which was bred with another type of
finch (any small seed eating song bird) to introduce a red color factor
into the canary's genetic structure. Requires feeding a special diet to
keep the intense coloring.


Crested Canary
One of the oldest breeds, with a unique crest or tuft of feathers at the
crown of the head.


Border Canary
Yellow with variegated patches of white, green, or brown color bordering
the wings.
Cockatiel


As the smallest members of the Cockatoo family, cockatiels are considered the
ideal pet for first-time bird owners. They are gentle and docile, do well around
children, and make great companions for retirees.



ockatiels originate from the land down under, and can be
found in almost any lightly forested or grassy areas
throughout most of the continent of Australia. They look like
a smaller version of the cockatoo, sharing the characteristic crest
and broad head, and they range in size from 10"-14", unlike the
larger members of the Cacatuidae family.

Many are drawn to cockatiels as pets because of their beauty,
manageable size, and their flexible and adaptable nature. They
tend to adjust well to a working family's busy schedule and
absences and are available in many color variations, including gray,
lutino, pearl, pied, cinnamon, fallow, and charcoal.
They must be handled from a young age to prevent aggression, but
are very affectionate once tamed. Males are generally more vocal
and can be quite protective of their mates, and they can be taught
to whistle songs and talk around 8-10 months. Females, though
quieter and less vocal, tend to be more affectionate.
Though the cockatiel is a smaller bird, it still requires plenty of
space and adequate exercise. Our motto for cage size is always
"the bigger the better." Plan 1/2"-3/4" bar spacing and enough
interior space to comfortably accommodate toys and perches.
Cockatiels enjoy climbing, so horizontal cage bars and ladders are
ideal for encouraging this behavior.
If you're considering a cockatiel, they have a lifespan of about 10-
17 years, and the average cost of a cockatiel is between $80-$100.

Interesting Facts:
Common Name: Cockatiel
Size: 10"-14"
Family: Cacatuidae
Habitat: Australia
Behavior: They are gentle and docile, do well around children, and make great companions for
retirees.
Diet: High-quality pelleted food, fresh vegetables, occasional fruit or nut.
Owner Challenges: They must be handled from a young age to prevent aggression, but are very affectionate
once tamed.
Life Span: 10-17 years
Average/Initial Cost: $80-$100



Species and Mutations
There are many choices of finches to keep. There can be problems with maintaining too many different species,
however. If you have mixed colonies, not all species will coexist in harmony. This sometimes takes some trial and error
and a few plucked birds to figure out. Even if they do coexist, they will often interfere with each other breeding
activities. Even mixing multiple pairs of like species can be trouble. Territorial species will sometimes fight to the death
in the small area of an aviary. Unless you have unlimited cage space, the more species you add to your collection, the
fewer numbers of each you can house and maintain. This can severely limit your ability to develop and sustain a line of
birds. Yet, with all these disadvantages, few things are rewarding as having a mixed flight of birds coexist and produce
their young in such a setting.
Here are a few of the species and their mutations that I have or have kept and some of my experience with them:
Zebra Finches
Owl (Bicheno) Star Finch Gouldian Finch Masked Grassfinch
Shaftail Finch (Longtail) Painted Firetail Plum Headed Finch Diamond Firetail
Other Finches
Red Headed Finch Cutthroat Finch Chinese Grossbeak

Other Birds Popular with Finch Breeders
Button Quail Diamond Dove Bourke's Parakeet