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Masked Lovebird
Common Names: Green
Masked Lovebirds, Black Masked Lovebird, & Blue Masked Lovebird.
Scientific Name: Agapornis
personata
Origin: Africa—
Tanzania
Relative Size: Small 50-56 grams
Average Lifespan: 10 – 20 years.
The Masked Lovebird is a favorite of many. This
species can be aggressive, but not to the extent of the Peach-Face
Lovebird. These birds are well-known for their black masks and
bright colors. Masked Lovebirds have a white ring around their eye,
for this reason, they are categorized into the eye ring group.
Masked Lovebirds come in quite a few mutations,
considering they were once difficult to obtain. The more popular of
the mutations are the Blue Masked Lovebird, followed by the standard
Black Masked Lovebird. Many breeders are working hard to produce
more mutations; as a result, new mutations should be available in
the market very soon.
The Black Masked Lovebird has a bright green body
with a black mask that covers its head and gradually fades into the
chest. Around the chest, a small faded orange band also weakens
into a yellow patch that covers the breast. The lovebird’s tail is
blue, green, and red. The beak is red, making the lovebird look very
striking.
The Blue Masked Lovebird is a mutation of the Black
Masked Lovebird. These birds look similar; however, blue is the
prominent color. The chest has a white patch that fades as it
extends towards the stomach. The tail is dark blue with hints of
dark blue and white. The beak is beige colored.
Sexing these lovebirds can be difficult because they
are monomorphic, which means males and females look identical or
very similar. Some breeders who have good eyes can sex visually.
Most females are stockier than males. Females have thicker feat and
a wider space between their pelvic bones. This is not an accurate
way of sexing Masked Lovebirds. The only reliable way would be
though DNA sexing.
 Breeding
these birds is easy; and like most lovebirds, they require humidity
for a successful hatch. These birds enjoy shredding paper but when
it comes to nest building, they do not tuck material into their
wings. They carry material to their nesting site with their beaks.
The female lovebird will produce around 4 – 6 eggs
and babies can be expected 21-23 days later. If the eggs are
unfertile, the female will kick them out or cover them with new
nesting material and proceed to have more eggs.
During breeding season these birds should be fed a
combination of seeds, pellets, fruits, and vegetables. Giving the
birds a healthy diet during breeding will produce healthy babies.
If the babies are removed for hand feeding, they
need to be removed around ten days. Hand feeding will produce
fantastic birds but time needs to be set aside to interact with the
babies. Socializing the babies will make them confident and
inquisitive. It is also a good idea to start introducing fruits and
vegetables into their diet at an early age. This makes them less
likely to have problems later when new foods are introduced.
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