Yellow-Collared Lovebird
Agapornis personatus
Distribution:
North-east Tanzania
Habitat:
Dry areas of light brushwood and trees, inland plateaus
Diet:
Various grass and herb seeds, grains, some types of tree bark and also small insects
Gestation:
Masked Lovebirds may produce several egg clutches within a single year. They nest in hollow trees and usually lay 4-5 eggs in a clutch incubated for about 23 days. They fledge about 42 days after hatching.
Predators:
These small parrots are prey for a wide range of carnivores, including birds of prey
Conservation Status:
Common
General:
Social, loud and active, lovebirds are popular pets and some have even learned how to mimic human speech.
The constant demand on parrot species to supply the pet trade is a real threat to their survival. The masked lovebird was discovered by Europeans in the late-1800s and quickly became a favourite addition to aviaries world-wide.
The translocation of birds spreads disease, and for this reason there are many regulations to follow when importing and exporting them. The introduction of a parrot disease to New Zealand could mean the extinction of native birds such as kakapo, kaka, kea and kakariki.