How to Identify Lovebird Breeds

There are nine subspecies of lovebird, each with their own identifying characteristics. Follow these steps to differentiate among them.

Instructions

1. Go for the cute, cuddly and popular. By far the most popular of the lovebird breed of parrot is the Peach-Faced Lovebird, so named for its distinctive peach-colored head and breast. The body of the peach-face is olive green with the tail feathers being a mixture of blue, black and red markings on its tail feathers. This breed is also known for being fairly aggressive and fearless and not afraid to take on larger birds but its fierce sense of loyalty and affection make this lovebird breed a popular choice.

2. Check out the restricted access of the Madagascar lovebird, so named for its homeland of Madagascar, it is also called the gray-headed lovebird. It is very rare to find this breed of lovebird species in captivity due to serious restrictions on exporting this rare breed. The male Madagascar has a gray head, green and black wings while the female of this lovebird breed has a more white coloring to her head.

3. Don't embarrass the Red-Faced lovebird breed, which is native to Africa and possesses a distinctive, bright red/orange head and a blue rump. The Red-Faced is not a commonly found breed of lovebird but can make for a great pet with an abundance of personality.

4. Search the wild in Africa. Two breeds that are rarely found in captivity are the Swindern's Lovebird and Abyssinian Lovebird breeds. The Abyssinian is native to Ethiopa and is also known as the black-winged Lovebird. The Swindern's breed of lovebird is native to Cameroon and is characterized by its orange and yellow chest and green wings.

5. Identify the masked lovers. A pair of common breeds found in captivity that make for great little pets are the Fischer's Lovebird and the Maksed Lovebird. Both breeds have distinctive feather-free eyelets. The Fischer's lovebird, native to Tanzania, is recognized by its orange colored forehead and throat and bright red beak to go along with multi-colored tail marking consisting of orange, blue and black markings. The Masked Lovebird is also native to Tanzania with a dark brown to black head that gives it its "masked" appearance. Both of these breeds love to interact with humans and breed easily in captivity.

6. Check out the eye-catching appeal. Like its Fischer's and Masked cousins, two other breeds that are recognizable by their featherless, ringed eyelets are the Black-cheeked lovebird and the Nyasa lovebird breeds. The Nyasa's most recognized for its orange head which sometimes can be confused with a peach-faced lovebird. The Black-cheeked lovebird breed has very distinct black cheeks and a band of orange on the breast and neck areas. The Black-Cheeked breeds well in captivity while the Nyasa is less common.

Tips & Warnings

• When considering buying a lovebird, consult a local bird club or aviary. You can typically find an extensive list of qualified and knowledge breeders by consulting specialty magazines such as "Bird Talk."