Black-cheeked lovebird  (Agapornis nigrigenis)

Biology

The need to drink water at least twice a day is a critical determinant of the daily and seasonal activities of the black-cheeked lovebird (6). In the non-breeding season, this species congregates in large flocks of up to 800 birds, reaching maximum numbers in the early mornings and late afternoons, when the birds drink and feed. It feeds mainly on the seeds of annual grasses and herbs, including crops such as millet and sorghum, but will also forage for a wide range of other items such as leaves, nectar, fruit pulp, invertebrates, bark, lichen and soil.

Natural cavities in live mopane trees are utilised for roosting and breeding. The breeding season extends from mid January to early May, and corresponds with annual maximum rainfall and the beginning of the dry season. Each pair probably uses the same nest site year after year, and produces a single clutch of six to seven eggs (2) (6).

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