Fischer's Lovebird
Fischer's lovebird spreading its wing
Conservation status
Near Threatened
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Order: Psittaciformes Family: Psittacidae Genus: Agapornis Species: A. fischeri
Binomial name
Agapornis fischeri Reichenow, 1887

The Fischer's lovebird (Agapornis fischeri, synonym Agapornis personata fischeri) is a species of bird in the parrot family. They are native to a small area of east-central Africa, south and southeast of Lake Victoria in northern Tanzania. In drought years, some birds move west into Rwanda and Burundi seeking moister conditions. They were originally discovered in the late 1800s, and were first bred in the United States in 1926. They are named after German explorer Gustav Fischer. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1280x960, 215 KB) Summary Fischers lovebird, with its wing spread Licensing I, the creator of this work, hereby grant the permission to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version... The conservation status of a species is an indicator of the likelihood of that species continuing to survive either in the present day or the future. ... Image File history File links Status_iucn3. ... Near Threatened (NT) is an conservation status assigned to species or lower taxa which may be considered threatened with extinction in the near future, although it does not currently qualify for the threatened status. ... Scientific classification or biological classification is a method by which biologists group and categorize species of organisms. ... Digimon, the only known animals. ... Typical Classes See below Chordates (phylum Chordata) are a group of animals that includes the vertebrates, together with several closely related invertebrates. ... “Aves” redirects here. ... It has been suggested that True parrots be merged into this article or section. ... Subfamily The true parrots are about 330 species of bird belonging to the Psittacidae, one of the two families in the biological order Psittaciformes. ... Species Nine - see text A lovebird (genus Agapornis, which is Greek for lovebird) is a very social and affectionate parrot. ... In biology, binomial nomenclature is the formal method of naming species. ... Anton Reichenow (1847 - 1941) was a German ornithologist. ... “Aves” redirects here. ... Subfamily The true parrots are about 330 species of bird belonging to the Psittacidae, one of the two families in the biological order Psittaciformes. ... For other uses, see Africa (disambiguation). ... Lake Victoria and the Great Rift Valley Lake Victoria height variation The lake as seen from space, looking west, with other members of the African Great Lakes forming an arc in the middle distance. ... A drought is a period of time when there is not enough water to support agricultural, urban, human, or environmental water needs. ... Gustav Adolf Fischer (March 3, 1848 - November 11, 1886, Berlin) was a German explorer, born at Barmen. ...

Description

Fischer's lovebirds have green backs, chests, and wings, their necks are a golden yellow and as it progresses upward it becomes darker orange. The top of the head is olive green, and the beak is bright red. The upper surface of the tail has some purple or blue feathers. A. fischeri has a white circle around its eyes. Young birds are very similar to the adults, except for the fact that they are duller and the base of their mandible has brown markings. They are one of the smaller lovebirds, about 14-15 cm in length and 42-58 g weight. Closeup on a single white feather A feather is one of the epidermal growths that forms the distinctive outer covering, or plumage, on a bird. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with jaw. ...

Behaviour

Fischers are native to a small area of east-central Africa, south and southeast of Lake Victoria in northern Tanzania. In drought years, some birds move west into Rwanda and Burundi seeking moister conditions.

A. fischeri lives at elevations of 1,100-2,200 m in small flocks. They have a fast, straight flight, and the sound of their wings as they fly can be heard. They live in isolated clumps of trees with grass plains between them. They also have a high-pitched chirp, and are very noisy. These birds eat a wide variety of foods, including seeds and fruit. They sometimes are pests to farmers, as they eat their crops such as maize and millet. The breeding season is January through April and June through July. The nest is in a hole in a tree, often in old woodpecker holes 2-15 m above the ground; the 3-8 eggs are incubated for 23 days, and the chicks fledging in 38 days. The population is estimated to be between 290,000-1,000,000, with low densities outside of protected areas due to capture for the pet trade; export licenses were suspended in 1992 to halt any further decline in the species. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... For other uses, see Africa (disambiguation). ... Lake Victoria and the Great Rift Valley Lake Victoria height variation The lake as seen from space, looking west, with other members of the African Great Lakes forming an arc in the middle distance. ... A drought is a period of time when there is not enough water to support agricultural, urban, human, or environmental water needs. ... For other uses, see Fruit (disambiguation). ... “Corn” redirects here. ... Pearl millet in the field The millets are a group of small-seeded species of cereal crops, widely grown around the world for food and fodder. ... A basket style nest A nest is place of refuge built to hold an animals eggs and/or provide a place to raise their offspring. ... Fledge is the stage in a young birds life when the feathers and wing muscles are sufficiently developed for flight. ...

Aviculture

Like with any other pet, it is essential that one make sure the birds that one is about to buy were bred in captivity, and were not wild caught. Besides conservation concerns and ethical reasons, wild caught animals are more likely to get sick, depressed, and to die. It has been suggested that Residential pets be merged into this article or section. ...

Both sexes of Agapornis fischeri look the same. The only way to be sure what sex a certain bird is, without them laying eggs, would be to perform DNA tests (a competent avian veterinarian could do this with a drop of blood, or a kit can be ordered from an online source for a fee). Pelvic bone testing and surgical testing are not recommended.

Blue mutant in flight

Image File history File links Download high resolution version (896x673, 54 KB) Summary Blue fischers lovebird mutant in flight Licensing I, the creator of this work, hereby grant the permission to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (896x673, 54 KB) Summary Blue fischers lovebird mutant in flight Licensing I, the creator of this work, hereby grant the permission to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1. ...

Color mutations

The blue mutation is the main color mutation of this species, and is somewhat smaller than the wild bird. It has bright blue back, tail, and chest, with a white neck and a pale grey head and a pale pink beak. This mutation was first bred by R. Horsham in South Africa in 1957, and two years later it was bred by Dr. F. Warford in San Francisco, California. Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Area  Ranked 3rd  - Total 158,302 sq mi (410,000 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 770 miles (1,240 km)  - % water 4. ...

There is a yellow mutation, which first appeared in France. It is pale yellow with an orange face and a red beak.

Lutino (a mutation that is yellow in colour), pied, black or dark eyed white, cinnamon, white, and albino mutations have also been bred. Albinism (from Latin albus; extended etymology), more technically hypomelanism or hypomelanosis, is a form of hypopigmentary congenital disorder, characterized by a lack of melanin pigment in the eyes, skin and hair (or more rarely the eyes alone). ... Albinism is a genetic condition resulting in a lack of pigmentation in the eyes, skin and hair. ...

Housing

After a bath, they also like to sun themselves

Fischer's lovebirds are very active and require a roomy cage. They also require lots of toys and things to chew on and play with. Without a roomy cage (a minimum of 20 x 20 x 30 inches / 50 x 50 x 75 centimetres for one bird, 25 x 25 x 30 inches / 65 x 65 x 75 centimeters for a pair. Do not buy a round cage either, as they do not properly give a lovebird a corner to hide in when they feel insecure). Without enough toys (4-6) and things to play with they may get bored, depressed and may even go as far as feather-plucking, which can be difficult to stop. It is also a good idea to provide a bird bath tub, as they love to take baths almost every day. After taking a shower, many times they like to sun themselves in order to dry off. However, they should not be near any windows, or they may become sick. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2288x1712, 629 KB) Summary Lovebird after taking a bath, sunning himself. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2288x1712, 629 KB) Summary Lovebird after taking a bath, sunning himself. ... A cage designed for medium-large parrots, with a playtop. ... Feather-Plucking occurs in many bird species world-wide for a variety of reasons. ...

Two lovebirds kissing

Lovebirds are extremely social birds, and it is generally recommended that they be kept in pairs (unless the owner is willing to spend several hours of time entertaining and being the companion of their single lovebird), for their emotional as well as physical well-being. Image File history File links Kissing_Lovebirds. ... Image File history File links Kissing_Lovebirds. ...

Food

Providing Fischer's lovebirds them a varied diet, such as pellets, fruits, seeds, grains, sprouts, and vegetables would be a good idea. As a regular food, pellets (One should avoid artificial coloring and pellets that contain the preservatives ethoxyquin and BHT/BAT, as they are toxic) are recommended rather than the millet food generally sold in pet stores which are akin to junkfood because they contain too much fat and are not very nutritionally balanced. While lovebirds like this kind of food, it may decrease their life span. Pellets especially made for small birds such as lovebirds are a good way to give them a well balanced diet. Generally, Lovebirds particularly like grains and different kinds of wild rice, although it is recommended that other healthier foods be mixed in with the grains to ensure that they get the vitamins they need. Ethoxyquin is a quinoline-based antioxidant used as a food preservative. ... Flash point 127 °C R/S statement R: 22-36 37 38 S: 26-36 RTECS number GO7875000 Related compounds Related compounds butylated hydroxyanisole Except where noted otherwise, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C, 100 kPa) Infobox disclaimer and references BHT is the common... Junk food is a derogatory term, used for any food that is perceived to be unhealthy and has low or poor nutritional value. ... The updated USDA food pyramid, published in 2005, is a general nutrition guide for recommended food consumption. ... Species Nine - see text A lovebird (genus Agapornis, which is Greek for lovebird) is a very social and affectionate parrot. ...

An all-seed diet (or really a diet that only consists of one thing) is not sufficient and may lead to health problems, including fatty liver disease.

Personality

Lovebirds are very active and love to chew things

Each lovebird has their own individual personality, but some generalizations can be made. At first they are very timid and will get spooked by sudden movements, loud noises, or new things, even small ones. One should be very careful not to scare them too much, which can interfere with their taming. They generally do not like to be touched. Lovebirds are very smart and may even figure out how to open the door of their cage and get out. Adding to their intelligence, once they are tame and comfortable, they are very curious. If they are allowed outside their cage, one should take great care to safeguard the house by not letting them fly around the kitchen with the stove on, around any wires, around places where they could get stuck, such as behind the refrigerator, etc. A house can be a very dangerous place for lovebirds. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1375x1081, 108 KB) Summary Lovebirds (Fischers lovebird) are very active and love to chew things, such as this stick. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1375x1081, 108 KB) Summary Lovebirds (Fischers lovebird) are very active and love to chew things, such as this stick. ...

They also like to be clean, often preening their feathers and regularly taking baths. If let outside their cage, they may even fly to other places in order to defecate. Newspaper should be placed below their favorite areas for easy cleanup. Preening is the art of cleaning, grooming, and maintaining parts of the body. ...

Taming

Buying hand fed Fischer's lovebirds can be quite expensive, but if one wants pets to interact with, it is recommended. Because they are very timid at first, great patience is required to tame non hand fed lovebirds. Taming them enough to climb on your finger (which they don't like very much) or to get them to fly to your shoulder (which they prefer) can take years.

Lovebirds (in general) are not known for their talking ability, although there are some lovebirds that do learn words - the females are usually the ones that do this.

Potential problems

Lovebirds are very active.

Lovebirds are very vocal birds, making loud, high-pitched noises that can be a nuisance. They make noise all day, but especially at certain times of day. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (960x1280, 223 KB) Summary Fischers lovebird Licensing I, the creator of this work, hereby grant the permission to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (960x1280, 223 KB) Summary Fischers lovebird Licensing I, the creator of this work, hereby grant the permission to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1. ...

As stated above, lovebirds are also very active, and love to chew things. When they are let out of their cage, it would be wise to watch them carefully, and protect any furniture or anything they could possibly chew on.

Fischer's lovebirds, like many captive birds, can also suffer from feather-plucking if they get bored, or stressed. To prevent this, the lovebirds should be provided with many things to play with and chew on. They should have a roomy cage, and should be shown affection if they enjoy it. After feather-plucking starts, it is very hard to stop the habit. Providing them with the things mentioned above and giving them time will often reduce or stop the habit.

Lovebirds are notorious for being nesty birds, especially during mating season - for this reason, loose material such as shredded paper, fabric, etc. are not good things to give to your lovebird because they could see it as nest-making material and attempt to mate, which is not something that should be attempted by someone without lots of experience. "Huts", or hiding places and small enclosures that people often give their pet birds, are also not good for the same reason.

Fischer's lovebirds are prone to a mysterious disease characterized by having brownish to creamish patches in their feet and legs, which is probably an infection as a result of their obsessive biting of those areas. It is not known what causes this disease. One hypotheses is that they suffer from hormonal problems caused by changing light levels and the inability to perform things Fischer's lovebirds in the wild would naturally perform, such as building a nest. Another hypothesis is that it is caused by a pathogen. If the signs are detected, fischer's lovebirds should immediately be taken to the vet. Treatments usually involve antibiotics for the wounds, and some way to stop them from continuing the biting of the area. This can sometimes be accomplished with sedatives. Use of the Elizabeth collar should be an option of last resort, as wearing them is extremely stressful both to the bird wearing the collar and to the birds around it. Some lovebirds may start feather-plucking as a result of the stress. An infection is the detrimental colonization of a host organism by a foreign species. ... A pathogen or infectious agent is a biological agent that causes disease or illness to its host. ... Staphylococcus aureus - Antibiotics test plate. ... A sedative is a substance which depresses the central nervous system (CNS), resulting in calmness, relaxation, reduction of anxiety, sleepiness, slowed breathing, slurred speech, staggering gait, poor judgment, and slow, uncertain reflexes. ... An Elizabeth collar is a collar that is extremely wide in radius. ...

Lovebirds are also known to be nippy and bossy. Although this can be seen as amusing and endearing by many owners, some do not like it; a lovebird, while a nice pet, is not for everyone. They bite very hard and love to test their limits - if the owner does not set them early on, he or she will have a bird that bites to get their way.

References

• BirdLife International (2004). Agapornis fischeri. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 11 May 2006. Database entry includes a brief justification of why this species is near threatened
• del Hoyo et al. (1997). Handbook of the birds of the World 4: 410. BirdLife International / Lynx Edicions.
• Lovebirds, second edition. By Matthew M. Vriends

The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (also known as the IUCN Red List and Red Data List), created in 1963, is the worlds most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of plant and animal species and can be found here. ... The World Conservation Union or International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) is an international organization dedicated to natural resource conservation. ...

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Agapornis fischeri

• http://animal-world.com/encyclo/birds/lovebirds/fischerslovebird.php