Lilian's Lovebird
Agapornis lilianae
A gregarious small green parrot with a red bill, white eye-ring and orange-red face. Immature has a duller bill and eye-ring. Pairs and small and large flocks inhabit tall broadleaf Mopane and thorn tree woodland, where they can be locally common. Gives a variety of chittering and screechy chatters, drawing attention to their presence. The similar Black-cheeked Lovebird is localized and endemic to southwest Zambia; it differs from Lilian’s Lovebird by its chocolate brown face.
Identification
The Lilian's lovebird is 13 cm (5 inches) long and is mainly green with white eyerings. It has orange on its head, neck and upper chest and has a green rump. Male and female are identical in external appearance.<p>The Lilian's lovebird is often mistaken for the slightly larger Fischer's lovebird, which has an olive-green hood and a blue rump. It is also broadly similar to the rosy-faced lovebird, which has more clearly demarcated orange colouration, and lacks a white eyering.<p>Lilian's lovebirds feed on grass seeds, millet, wild rice, flowers, and the seeds and fruit of other species.<p>The breeding season for Lilian's lovebirds is from January to March and in June and July. They make a roofed nest in tree crevices. In captivity the clutch consists of three to eight white eggs, which are incubated for about 22 days, and the chicks leave the nest after about 44 days from hatching.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Agapornis lilianae
- Authority
- Shelley, 1894
- Order
- Psittaciformes
- Family
- Psittaculidae
- Genus
- Agapornis
Range and habitat
Lilian's lovebirds are endemic to Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. In 2004 its numbers in the wild were estimated to be less than 20,000 individuals. It currently inhabits Liwonde National Park (LNP) and a few cluster groups occur in the surrounding forests outside LNP. Its distribution is rapidly becoming restricted to LNP because their feeding and breeding habitats are being exploited over for agricultural purposes. The extent of habitat loss outside LNP has not been determined scientifically although remaining habitat outside the LNP are fragmented Miombo Forest Reserves.
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
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