How Do Love Birds Mate?

Lovebirds comprise a colorful and diverse group of small parrots that are originally from Africa. Lovebirds have been kept domestically as pets for more than 100 years. These birds are short with thick bodies, and most are between 5 and 6 inches from their head to tail. Lovebirds exhibit a number of behaviors that exemplify a loving nature, such as grooming one another and sleeping as closely to one another as possible when resting.

  1. Sexing Lovebirds

    • Unlike many bird species, lovebirds are similar to one another in terms of physical characteristics. As such, it can be rather difficult to determine on your own whether you have a male or a female lovebird. The most ideal way to determine the gender of a lovebird is through DNA testing with the assistance of a veterinarian. The process is relatively simple, and provides the most accurate determination of the gender of your lovebirds.

    Pairing Lovebirds

    • Pairing lovebirds is not always as simple as putting together a male and female. The lovebird breed is actually capable of being quite aggressive---and even a male and female may fight to the point of causing serious harm to one another. When pairing lovebirds, close supervision is of vital importance to ensure that a true pairing has been found. Once two lovebirds have properly accepted one another, the courting process will be allowed to begin, with telltale signs such as the male lovebird feeding and dancing around the female lovebird.

    Nesting

    • When lovebirds are preparing to mate, they will begin to put together their nest. In the wild, lovebirds may use just about anything to build up their nest. In captivity, providing plenty of nesting material that they can use is important. White paper, newspaper and other nesting materials are excellent for this purpose. Once the lovebirds begin to build a nesting area, they may become more protective and more aggressive, so take care when feeding them or cleaning the area so that you do not disturb the couple.

    Mating

    • The female begins the mating process by squatting down with her tail lifted and wings spread. This is how she invites the male to mount her. The male may hold onto her feathers as he mounts her, securing himself in place. Lovebirds have vents which are pressed together during the act of mating, and fertilization occurs when the two vents meet. Mating between lovebirds may continue throughout a day or for several days.

    Laying Eggs

    • Once mating has occurred, regardless of fertilization, the female lovebird will lay eggs in her nest. The average clutch consists of between four and six eggs, and they are generally laid on alternate days. The female may not seem interested in incubating her eggs until she has laid at least two or three. The female lovebird is responsible for incubating the eggs, and the male lovebird will keep her fed during the day while roosting alongside her at night. The incubating period lasts for approximately 23 days, and the nest should not be disturbed during this period of time.