The Types of Lovebirds

One of the most endearing things about lovebirds is the fact that they come in so many different types. These little birds seem to cater to please. Whether you like blue birds, green, or yellow, there is a type of lovebird for you.

Lovebirds come in 9 species and are broken into three groups: The white eye ring group, the intermediate group, and the sexually dimorphic group. Within these groups are many different colors and types of lovebirds.

The white eye ring group consists of Masked lovebirds, Fischer's Lovebirds, Black-Cheeked Lovebirds, and Nyasa Lovebirds.

Of the Masked lovebirds, the black masked and blue masked are the most common, with many mutations occurring, including violet, lutinos, albinos, and pieds. These birds are about 6-6 1/4 inches, with a black mask on their face. They have a red beak, yellow collar, green body and bluish rump with black and red bands on the tail. Of course, with the mutations, the body color may vary. With a blue masked lovebird, they have a horn colored beak, white color and blue body and tail.

Normal Fischer's Lovebirds have an orange face and throat, red forehead, red beak, green body, and a green tail with blue tips. There are also blue, yellow, seagreen, lutino, pied, and spangle mutations. They are 4 inches long.

Black Cheeked-lovebirds have an overall color of green, with brown/black cheeks and forehead. The back of the head is yellow/green, and the throat is orange. They have a red beak and green body. Although no color mutations are known, these birds have been hybridized with Maskeds, Nyasas, and Fischer's. These birds are 4 1/2 inches.

Nyasa lovebirds are mainly green birds with a red beak, red forehead, and an orange/red throat and cheeks. There is a lutino mutation of this type with a red head and yellow body. These birds are 4 1/4 inches.

The only type of lovebirds in the intermediate group is the peach face, but for me this is the most fascinating group of lovebirds. The normal peach face has a green body with a vivid red face and throat. They have blue rumps and a green tail. For the hobbyist, the peach face lovebird sports over 75 mutations. They are 6-7 inches long.

The last group, the Sexually dimorphic group includes Abyssian, Madagascar, Red-Face, and Swindern's Black-Collared lovebirds. Of these, I'll talk about the first two as the last two are rare in the pet trade.

The Abyssian lovebird is mostly green, with the males having a red brow. The eye ring in males is more red, while the female has a green eye ring. They are 6 inches long, and there are a few mutations available.

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