Abyssinian Lovebird
Encyclopedia
The Black-winged Lovebird (Agapornis taranta) also known as Abyssinian Lovebird is a mainly green bird of the parrot
family. At about 16.5 cm (6.5 inches) long, it is the largest of the lovebird
genus, a group of small parrots. The adult male is easily identified by its red forehead, and the adult female by its all green head. They are native to Eritrea and Ethiopia, and they are uncommon as a pet.
The Black-winged Lovebird, with a length of about 16–16.5 cm (6.25–6.5 inches), is the largest of all the lovebird
s. It is sexually dimorphic
, as are the Red-headed Lovebird
and Grey-headed Lovebird
of the lovebird genus. The dimorphism becomes apparent in juvenile birds after their first moult at about eight or nine months of age. Both the male and female Black-winged Lovebird are mostly green, and only the adult male Black-winged Lovebird has a red forehead and a ring of red feathers around its eyes.
The tail is black tipped and feathers below the tail show a yellowish colour. The rump and feathers above the tail are light green. In the male feathers under the wing are typically black, and in the female the feathers under the wing are typically greenish or brownish black. Both sexes have a red beak and gray feet.
to southwestern Ethiopia
and they normally live in either high plain
s or mountain
ous regions.
s, corn
, apple
s and mission fig
s are typical of an Abyssinian Lovebird diet
.
s in a tree cavity. The eggs are white and there are usually three or four eggs in a clutch. The female incubates the eggs for 23 days, and the chicks fledge
from the nest about 45 days after hatching.
of Threatened Species.
Parrot
Parrots, also known as psittacines , are birds of the roughly 372 species in 86 genera that make up the order Psittaciformes, found in most tropical and subtropical regions. The order is subdivided into three families: the Psittacidae , the Cacatuidae and the Strigopidae...
family. At about 16.5 cm (6.5 inches) long, it is the largest of the lovebird
Lovebird
A Lovebird is one of nine species of the genus Agapornis . They are a social and affectionate small parrot. Eight species are native to the African continent, while the Grey-headed Lovebird is native to Madagascar...
genus, a group of small parrots. The adult male is easily identified by its red forehead, and the adult female by its all green head. They are native to Eritrea and Ethiopia, and they are uncommon as a pet.
Description
Lovebird
A Lovebird is one of nine species of the genus Agapornis . They are a social and affectionate small parrot. Eight species are native to the African continent, while the Grey-headed Lovebird is native to Madagascar...
s. It is sexually dimorphic
Sexual dimorphism
Sexual dimorphism is a phenotypic difference between males and females of the same species. Examples of such differences include differences in morphology, ornamentation, and behavior.-Examples:-Ornamentation / coloration:...
, as are the Red-headed Lovebird
Red-headed Lovebird
The Red-headed Lovebird also known as the Red-faced Lovebird is a member of the genus Agapornis, a group commonly known as Lovebirds. Like other lovebirds it is native to Africa.-Description:...
and Grey-headed Lovebird
Grey-headed Lovebird
The Grey-headed Lovebird or Madagascar Lovebird is a small species of parrot of the lovebird genus. It is a mainly green parrot. The species is sexually dimorphic and only the adult male had a grey upper body. They are native on the island of Madagascar and are the only lovebird species which are...
of the lovebird genus. The dimorphism becomes apparent in juvenile birds after their first moult at about eight or nine months of age. Both the male and female Black-winged Lovebird are mostly green, and only the adult male Black-winged Lovebird has a red forehead and a ring of red feathers around its eyes.
The tail is black tipped and feathers below the tail show a yellowish colour. The rump and feathers above the tail are light green. In the male feathers under the wing are typically black, and in the female the feathers under the wing are typically greenish or brownish black. Both sexes have a red beak and gray feet.
Habitat
The natural habitat for a Black-winged Lovebird is typically from southern EritreaEritrea
Eritrea , officially the State of Eritrea, is a country in the Horn of Africa. Eritrea derives it's name from the Greek word Erethria, meaning 'red land'. The capital is Asmara. It is bordered by Sudan in the west, Ethiopia in the south, and Djibouti in the southeast...
to southwestern Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
and they normally live in either high plain
Plain
In geography, a plain is land with relatively low relief, that is flat or gently rolling. Prairies and steppes are types of plains, and the archetype for a plain is often thought of as a grassland, but plains in their natural state may also be covered in shrublands, woodland and forest, or...
s or mountain
Mountain
Image:Himalaya_annotated.jpg|thumb|right|The Himalayan mountain range with Mount Everestrect 58 14 160 49 Chomo Lonzorect 200 28 335 52 Makalurect 378 24 566 45 Mount Everestrect 188 581 920 656 Tibetan Plateaurect 250 406 340 427 Rong River...
ous regions.
Behaviour
Food and feeding
Sunflower seedSunflower seed
The sunflower seed is the fruit of the sunflower . The term "sunflower seed" is actually a misnomer when applied to the seed in its pericarp . Botanically speaking, it is more properly referred to as an achene. When dehulled, the edible remainder is called the sunflower kernel.There are three types...
s, corn
Maize
Maize known in many English-speaking countries as corn or mielie/mealie, is a grain domesticated by indigenous peoples in Mesoamerica in prehistoric times. The leafy stalk produces ears which contain seeds called kernels. Though technically a grain, maize kernels are used in cooking as a vegetable...
, apple
Apple
The apple is the pomaceous fruit of the apple tree, species Malus domestica in the rose family . It is one of the most widely cultivated tree fruits, and the most widely known of the many members of genus Malus that are used by humans. Apple grow on small, deciduous trees that blossom in the spring...
s and mission fig
Mission fig
The Mission fig is a popular variety of the edible fig . It was first introduced to what is now the United States in 1768 when Franciscan missionaries planted it in San Diego. It was also planted in the subsequent missions that the Franciscans established up the California coast...
s are typical of an Abyssinian Lovebird diet
Diet (nutrition)
In nutrition, diet is the sum of food consumed by a person or other organism. Dietary habits are the habitual decisions an individual or culture makes when choosing what foods to eat. With the word diet, it is often implied the use of specific intake of nutrition for health or weight-management...
.
Breeding
The Black-winged Lovebird nestNest
A nest is a place of refuge to hold an animal's eggs or provide a place to live or raise offspring. They are usually made of some organic material such as twigs, grass, and leaves; or may simply be a depression in the ground, or a hole in a tree, rock or building...
s in a tree cavity. The eggs are white and there are usually three or four eggs in a clutch. The female incubates the eggs for 23 days, and the chicks fledge
Fledge
Fledge is the stage in a young bird's life when the feathers and wing muscles are sufficiently developed for flight. It also describes the act of a chick's parents raising it to a fully grown state...
from the nest about 45 days after hatching.
Status
Widespread and a common species throughout its habitat range, the Black-winged Lovebird is evaluated as Least Concern on the IUCN Red ListIUCN Red List
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species , founded in 1963, is the world's most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of biological species. The International Union for Conservation of Nature is the world's main authority on the conservation status of species...
of Threatened Species.