Bird Club of America's
Peachface Species Support Page

     Breeding The Peachface Lovebird

By Kathy Greaser, Director
Peachface Lovebird Species Breeding Partnership
Normal Green Peachface Lovebird

    The Peachface Lovebird (Agapornis roseicollis) is one of nine species of Lovebirds. It is considered to be in between the sexual dimorphic group and the white eye-ringed group.
    Agapornis roseicollis was discovered before 1793. In 1817 it was recognized, as it's own species. It first was considered to be a Red-faced subspecies. In 1955 Peachface sub- species was discovered in Angola and is known as the Catumbella.
    In the wild, Peachface lovebirds are found in the southwestern part of Africa. They usually fly in flocks of twenty to thirty birds. They are one of three species that are readily available and are the most common.
     Like many of the 9 species, Peachface are not sexual dimorphic. There are many subtle differences between the sexes but to obtain a true pair surgical or DNA sexing must be done. The pelvic bone test is most widely used among bird breeders.

     In adult females tips of the pelvic bones are usually far enough apart to almost put a forefinger in between them, and they are rounded. Males have very sharp tips that feel like little mountain peaks. I used the shred and tuck method for years till now. I now have 2 males that do this, not as well as the female but enough to have kept me fooled for a time. All methods are infallible. If the gender of a bird has to be known with certainty you should revert to one of the scientific methods mentioned earlier. Almost everyone has his own way of sexing these birds. The Peachface is a non-Eye ring species even though it does have a very small white ring around the eye, which other non-eye rings do not. Apparently, it's related closely enough to the other species that hybrids are fertile. For this reason they should never be crossbred. This ruins the gene pool of all the species involved.

***DESCRIPTION***

The Peachface lovebird is a sleek looking little bird 6 1/2-7" in length. It has a green body, red orange face, bib, and forehead, horn colored beak, teal rump and black flight feathers with green on the front edge, green with black and a touch of orange tail feathers. The females are generally larger than the males. Average weights for a Peachface range from 45-65 grams.

***NESTING & BREEDING***

These birds breed well in both a colony or cage situation. In a colony always make sure you have at least 1 1/2 times as many boxes as you have pairs, double the amount of boxes is even better. Also always place them at the same height in the flight. I cage breed and their cages are 24" x 24" x 18". The smallest I would put them in is 24" x 16" x 16". I use a box that's 8" x 8" x 9", hung on the outside of the cage with a 2-3" entrance hole. This does get a bit crowded when the female hatches out 6 babies. I would suggest larger if you allow the birds to raise their young. I pull mine for hand feeding between 10-17 days old. I use Carefresh bedding but this species love willow, honeysuckle, and bayberry when I give it to them. The hen sheds strips of paper and puts them in her rump and under her wing feathers to carry to the nest. If given a water bowl she will control the humidity, which is best maintained between 50-65%. Once the babies start to hatch I provide clean material everyday so the pair can replenish the nest. Females should be added to the male's cage. Never vice versa, she will kill him for entering her territory. White eggs are laid every other day for a clutch of 4-6. The eggs begin to hatch 18-23 (mine 23) days after incubation starts. Sometimes a hen will not start incubating till the second or third egg is laid.

***DIET***

Their diet should consist of Pellets, Fruits, Veggies, Greens, Pastas, Beans, Rices, and seed. If you use a pellet as a base, meaning they eat 80% pellets, then they don't need supplemental vitamins. If seed is used as a base then they need the vitamins.

BCA Lovebird Genus Breeding Partnership Coordinator is  Wendy Poole

This Species Suport Page of  Bird Clubs of America , is published for its National Forum, and is produced,directed and mailed with help from Wendy Poole, Raleigh, NC.  It is sent to BCA Alliance Clubs, but may be reproduced with full credits in other club newsletters. 

Visit Our Other Lovebird Species Breeding Partnership Sites and become a Partner:

Fischer's Lovebird Breeding Partnership
Madagascar Lovebird Breeding Partnership (under re-construction)
Black-Cheeked Lovebird Breeding Partnership
Bird Clubs of America Lovebird Partnerships
 

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