Physical Characteristics
Peachface Lovebird, Agapornis roseicollis, has an overall bright, almond-green plumage, which is yellow on the underside, with a brilliant blue rump. The frontal band is a deep rose-red, and the lores, sides of the head, and throat, are a paler rose-red. The bill is horn colored and greenish toward the tip. The feet are gray.
The Peachface measure 16 to 17cm and one out stretched wing measure 11 cm. The Peachface weights 52 to 57g.
Reproductive Characteristics
In the wild, birds are usually found in groups of ten. In captivity, they are most prolific, to the point of domesticity.
In the wild these birds tend to breed conolonialy. In captivity a pair will lay five eggs, that take 28 days to hatch. The young learn to fly between 35 and 42 days.
Female Peachface have a unique behavior among lovebirds. When they collect nesting material, they place it under their feather in order to carry it back to the nest.
History
It was first found in the late 1700’s but was confused at that time with the Red-faced Lovebirds. It made it first entrance into aviculture in 1860 London Bird Show. The first successfull breeding of this bird was in 1869 at the Berlin Aquerium.
Color Mutations
The African Lovebird Association recognizes 17 color morphs of Peachface. They color morphs can be broken into for types of inheritance; receive, sex-linked, partial dominant, and dominant. In the recessives there are: the Dutch Blue, White Face Blue, Seagreen, Orange-Face, Fallow, American Yellow (dilute), Japanese Yellow (Imperial Golden Cherry) and Australian Receive Pied. There are f ive sex-linked mutations, which are Lutino, American Cinnamon, Australia Cinnamon, American Silver, and Lacewing. The partial dominants are the dark factor, American Violet, and Danish Violet. There is only one dominant color mutations and that is pied. The terms "Jade" traditionally refers to a single dark factor green, while "Olive" would refer to a double dark factor green. "Cobalt" refers to a single dark factor Dutch Blue bird, and "Slate" indicates a double dark factor Dutch Blue.. The Danish Violet is the new color mutation to be established. It was established in late 1980’s. The Danish Violet White Face is often considered the most beautiful color mutation. This combination comes from breeding a double factor Danish Violet bird to a Seagreen or White Face Blue Bird. The Violet factor is dominant over the standard green, yellow and the sex-linked colors, but ha s incomplete dominance over the blue mutation, thus allowing the blue to show through.