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The Abyssinian Lovebird Agapornis Taranta

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The Abyssinian Lovebird Agapornis Taranta The Abyssinian Lovebird Agapornis taranta Text and Photos by Chihuahua Marez Los Angeles, California, USA [email protected] tanley discovered and named this imported birds into the U.S.A. I am the would display a dark rich blue cere and vibrant lovebird species after the coordinator of CB034. Our European a female a dark brown one. Both sexes Sbeautiful Taranta Pass in counterparts, especially in Amsterdam have black tipped tail feathers and gray Ethiopia in 1814, where even today it's and Belgium have had great success legs. known to be commonly found. with this species and have not been Abyssinians display more parrot­ The rare Abyssinian Lovebird, also afraid to share their knowledge and like characteristics than any other love­ known as the Black-winged Lovebird is experiences. bird. In Germany they are also called exceptionally quiet, unlike other lovebird This species' iridescent green the Mountain Parrot. They tend to like species. Their scientific name is body feathers combined with their to climb, swing, and hang upside down. Agapornis Taranta. French Name(s): bright rich red beak grasps one's eye Many will hold their food while eating, Psittacula a masque rouge. German and attention for more than just a - peanuts held with their toes, for Name(s): Taranta Unzertrennlicher; minute. Their natural behavior keeps instance. I've also witnessed many Tarantapapagei; Bergpapagei. Dutch their interest in many things such as spending a great deal of time on the Name: Abessijne agapornis. toys and new foods which piques an cage bottom. In 1906 Italian bird dealers are aviculturist's constant attention and The "Abbys" for short, are very believed to have brought the first curiosity. This perky and active love­ docile lovebirds. It's not uncommon for Abyssinians into Europe. Although it bird species keeps its caretaker's con­ Abyssinian breeders to have a few tame wasn't until 1909 that there is documen­ stant eye and attention, as there is birds even though they are not handfed tation of the first successful breeding. always something new to learn about or handled on a daily basis. For this rea­ In 1931, O. Neuman named a their behavior. son they do great in bird shows, as they smaller race Agapornis taranta nana. The largest of the nine species of tend to stand extremely still and are not He also named another race of the lovebirds, Abyssinians measure in at alarmed by sudden movement or loud Abyssinian, which in size is between 6.5 inches. They weigh about 40-65 noises. the taranta and nana races. He found grams. It doesn't appear that one sex is This species is also very quiet. this bird in Schoa near the higher part larger than the other. Their chirp is more like a song than a of the Sobat River. This bird he named It is also one of three sexually disturbing chatter. the Omo Inseparable and is the size of dimorphic lovebird species (this means Prior to entering my bird room I the Agapornis roseicollis. These races that one can tell their sex by their feath­ make my "entrance call" to let my birds have not generally achieved subspecif­ er colors). The other two dimorphic know I'm entering. Many times each ic recognition. spoecies are the Madagascar (smallest Abyssinian pair will talk back to me Helmut Hampe published the first lovebird) and the Red-faced. and they don't seem to quiet down until photograph of this bird, called "Die In the Abyssinian, both sexes I have given them individual one on Unzertrennlichen" in 1934. have bright red beaks but it is only the one attention such as a kiss through the Within the last few years male that displays the bright red fore­ cage wire. They also seem to thorough­ Abyssinian breeders in the U.S.A. have head. From the top of its beak to the ly enjoy grooming the hairs on my just begun to make a worthwhile effort middle top of its head and thinly lined goatee and moustache. to keep this species alive and promises around his eye are bright red feathers. It Last year I added a pair to my to see that its many different bloodlines IS a common thought among aviary that had been bonded for about continue to flourish. In the last couple Abyssinian breeders that if a male and six years but had never produced for of years two federally approved United female display dark red beaks then they their original owner. My first observa­ States Fish and Wildlife Cooperative are considered to be in tip top breeding tion was that they liked to hide in the Breeding Programs have been bringing condition. Such as male budgerigars nest box all the time. They appeared to 20 Third Quarter 2003 Breeding re ult : 2 OF x 2 OF = 100% 2 OF 2 OF x 1 OF = 50% 2 OF & 500/0 1 DF 2 OF x 0 OF = 1000/0 1 OF 1 OF x ] OF = 250/0 0 OF, 50% ] OF & 250/02 OF 1 OF x 0 OF = 500/0 1 OF & 500/0 0 OF o OF x 0 OF = 1000/0 0 OF Since it is a co-dominant mutation, birds plit for dark factor do not exi t. Diet Abbys are the mes iest of all love­ birds. It's difficult to keep their perches clean because they're constantly wiping their beak on them. For whatever rea­ son female eem to allow the male to eat first. Thi lovebird pecie seem to try The breeding pair of Abysinl1ian Love Birds. Only the male has the redforehead. any food that you put in their cage and they are known to be quite willing to try new foods. Their diet consi t of many be shy which i quite rare for thi is the hen. Hence 2 OF x 1 OF give type of seed , pellets, sprouted seed , species. I took the nest box away and you the arne results as 1 OF x 2 OF. bean mix, and upplemented with many they soon became accu tomed to lny different vegetable ' and fruits. entrance call. Within months they pro­ For example: Sunflower seeds (small black oily), figs, duced two healthy clutches for me. o OF = no OF or green (wild color ro e hips (high in vitamin C), and juniper In the wild, Abyssinians tend to green/common green) belTie (high in vitamin B) are mainstays live in small groups and are found in I OF = 1 OF or dark green in their diet and relished by this species. the forest and mountain area of outh­ 2 OF = 2 OF or olive green (double Mo t lovebird breeder do not feed their ern Eritrea and the southwestern high­ dark green) birds lots of sunflower seeds except the lands of Ethiopia up to 9,000 feet. This species enjoys taking a bath even in cold weather. Each morning when I change their water it seems that they are just waiting for me to close the cage door so that they can jump in and bathe. Mutations Besides the wild green color (0 OF) there is also the dark green (l OF) and olive green (2 OF), the latter being the most expensive of all the mutations that are commonly known in this rare lovebird. A Cinnamon is also known to exist. There are al 0 reports of a Lutino Abyssinian. Or. William Schoon of Germany ha produced a yellow Fallow female Abyssinian that unfortunately died of an ulcer at the age of two years. A dark factor is an autosomal co­ domination mutation. The factor being located on an autosomal gene it doesn't Another angle looking at the breeding pair of Abysinnian Love Birds. matter which bird is the cock and which the afa WATCHBIRD 21 with 1/2 x 1 inch wired front. Abby breeder do not comlTIonl y practice colony breeding ~ in fact it is rare that one would have that type of set up. My pairs can hear each I Jl"l"r. Y-ljIIW . other but cannot ee each other. It seems that if two hens could ee each other they'd much rather spend their time fighting than breeding and carrying on with there daily living duties such a eating, bonding and playing. Females display a very unusual behavior when they see another bird. They stick their beaks through the cage wire from side to 'ide. It reminds me of the sport of Fencing, a their beaks are These cages hold the birds \I 'hile they get acqllaillfed ~\'ith one ano/he/: YOll notice there ore 1/0 nest boxes. very trong and when they hit the wire it ound like Abby breeder. The higher fat is required are aid to be lacking vitamin B in their two swords. My cages have hamster for their diet. DUling the breeding sea on diet. My birds love to eat the stems of wheel , swings and a twisted rope. This feedi ng unlimited sunflower seed seem romaine lettuce. Sprouted and cooked species i very alert and aware of what to get the bird in the mood to reproduce. quinoa seems to al 0 be a favorite. the aviculturist puts into their cage. Abby that twi t their neck all the time Housing Breeding My Abby_ are individually hou ed It is the female that clearly domi­ in 4 foot L X 18 inches H & W cages nates this relation hip. She eem ' to let Breeding cages set up with nest boxes. Detail of the food troys.
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