What to Know About the Red-headed Lovebird in Uganda?

The Red-Headed Lovebird in Uganda is one of the African birds in Uganda seen during Uganda birding safaris. It is also known as the red-faced lovebird is a member of the genus Agapornis, a group commonly known as lovebirds.

Like other lovebirds, it is native to Uganda. They average 15 cm in length including tail and weigh around 43g.

This bird is difficult to breed in captivity because it has to burrow to make its nest and the nest chamber needs to be heated to about 27 °C.

However, they can be induced to burrow into cork to build a nest. It is a very nervous species.

How Does the Red-headed Lovebird in Uganda Look Like?

It has a well demarcated red area on its head extending from the top of the beak, over the forehead to mid-crown, and extending to the left and right up to the eyelid margins.

It has grey feet. The underside of the wings is a lighter green. The female has orange head coloring, which is less well demarcated than the male’s red head. The adult male has a red beak while the female’s is a paler red.

How Does the Red-headed Lovebird in Uganda Sing and Make Calls?

Their calls are weak and high-pitched; typically, a twittering and trilling. Also, abrupt, whistling notes can be heard when they are spooked or alarmed.

How Does the Red-headed Lovebird in Uganda Feed?

During the day, forage over great distances, consuming grass seeds, fruit and some cultivated crops, before returning at night to communal roosts.

How Does the Red-headed Lovebird in Uganda Nest?

Birds pair off and build nests within ant and termite mounds located above the ground in trees or sometimes on the ground. The female may dig tunnels of up 30 cm in length. They may nest in colonies with other lovebirds.

Their favored nest building / lining material includes seed husks and shredded grasses and leaves, which the female will transports by tucking them between her feathers.

How Does the Red-headed Lovebird in Uganda Breed

In their natural habitat, their breeding season starts at the beginning of the rainy season. While many parrots form long-term bonds, the lovebird has attained its romantic reputation because the pairs form exceptionally close associations, roosting together and preening one another for hours at a time.

How Does the Red-headed Lovebird in Uganda Reproduce?

A clutch of five small eggs is laid and incubated for 24 days, with brooding taking a further seven weeks before fledging.