Pied Lovebirds (A Beautiful Lovebird Mutation)

Last Updated on January 11, 2024 by Ali Shahid

Lovebirds come in a wide variety of colors, shapes, and sizes. Its variety of colors makes it one of the most popular pets in the world. The pied lovebird is a mutation of the peach-faced lovebird with a patchy color pattern. The natural color for peach-faced lovebirds is green. However, there is a mutation that turns them blue.

Once you have a green or blue base, you can have various other mutations. For example, from green, you might get a green pied, and from blue, you might get a blue pied. Similarly, there are variations like Blue American Cinnamon and Green American Cinnamon. Essentially, whether the bird is green or blue sets the foundation for all other possible color mutations.

Three different genetic combinations can allow this type of mutation to occur: recessive, dominant, or clear flight. A recessive baby is far less common, but if the dominant genes are not exceeded by two, a recessive baby can also be present.

Selective breeding produces a variety of colorful bird species. The purpose of this is to make more colorful lovebird species that will attract more customers. Pied lovebirds are also bred continuously in captivity through selective breeding.

With a lifespan of 10-12 years, these adorable cuties make excellent pets. If you want a pied lovebird you can check your local pet stores and breeders. You can also check an online site PetOPets that has listed pied lovebirds for sale at CA$179.99. Continue reading to find interesting details about pied lovebirds.

What is pied?

Piedness in birds happens when certain areas of their feathers lack eumelanin and have an even distribution throughout the feather. When eumelanin is absent from these areas, the remaining psittacine pigment makes the feathers appear yellow.

In bluebirds, if both psittacine and eumelanin are missing, the feathers will be white. When the reduction in eumelanin affects the entire feathering, the bird appears either pure white or yellow, known as dark-eyed clears.

However, if eumelanin is missing only from specific areas of the feathers, it results in a pied pattern. This means some parts of the bird have no pigment. You can identify different pied patterns in lovebirds by understanding their specific mutations.

Origin and History

Lovebirds, including the Pied Lovebirds, hail from Africa and nearby islands like Madagascar. These gentle birds have captivated bird enthusiasts for ages and are commonly found in pet stores. The Pied Lovebird stands out due to its unique, patchy color pattern, which breeders achieve through selective breeding.

While most pied lovebirds showcase shades of yellow, green, and blue, the specific patterns can vary. Some birds may appear mostly yellow or green, while others might display a mix of both colors on a single bird, leading to confusion among novice breeders.

Originating from the Peach-faced Lovebird species (Agapornis roseicollis), the Pied Lovebird is a subsequent mutation, following the Green Pied variation. Peach-faced Lovebirds are renowned for their nurturing nature and come in a plethora of vibrant colors. Initially named Psittacus roseicollis, they were later reclassified under the Agapornis genus alongside other lovebirds.

By the end of the 20th century, there was a significant influx of lovebirds imported into the U.S. Today, avian breeders worldwide specialize in various lovebird mutations, including the captivating Pied Lovebird.

Appearance

There are several possibilities for Pied lovebird flowers with their marbling color combinations. It is generally evident that these markings do not follow a rhyme or reason, resulting in a disorganized color theme.

Lovebirds that have pied markings are frequently yellow, green, and blue. It is believed that pied is caused by the loss of melanin from specific parts of the bird’s feathered body.

As a result, some or all of the feathers of the bird become bright yellow or pale green, which is not the case with a normal-colored bird. The pattern of melanin removal in each pied has confused especially among new breeders.

Some Pied Lovebirds are primarily yellow, and some primarily green. However, most fall somewhere in between, displaying both green and yellow feathers on the same bird at one time.

Additionally, some breeders believe the two breeds are related due to the similarity of some of the yellow feathers on a pied and the yellow feathers on a Lutino.

Despite the removal of melanin being a cause of both mutations, they are not associated. A lutino cannot be bred by mating two heavily pied birds.

Temperament

Even though pied lovebirds are little, they’re curious, bold, and adventurous. People often see photos of lovebirds cuddling up together, leading them to believe that lovebirds come in pairs. Lovebirds often form deep bonds with each other.

It is important to understand, however, that lovebirds may choose to avoid interacting with them. Instead, they will spend all their time together.

In addition to socializing with the people in your life and chewing up and destroying safe items, a single lovebird needs plenty of distractions.

Diet of a Pied Lovebird

For lovebirds, as well as for most birds, it is all about balance when it comes to nutrition. Various categories of nutrients make up a balanced diet. The list consists of water, protein, carbohydrates, fiber, lipids, minerals, and vitamins.

A diet that consists of only seeds is a recipe for malnutrition, and malnutrition is one of the leading causes of many ailments connected to nutrition.

A formulated diet is the best option for lovebirds because it offers all the essential nutrients and does not allow the bird to pick and choose just the bits he wants to eat.

A variety of foods are important for birds, so make sure to add a variety of vegetables, fruits, and even healthy table foods to the formulated diet but without sauces and seasonings, of course.

From Where to Get a Pied Lovebird

There are plenty of options that you can choose from if you are intent on shopping around for this mutation. Check with local pet stores, adoption centers, and breeders who specialize in breeding pied lovebirds.

Breeders who specialize in lovebirds can be found all over the world. Oftentimes, they have hatchlings as well as adults for placement. PetsOPet has listed Pied Lovebirds for sale for the price of CA$179.99 on its website.

Conclusion

Lovebirds are remarkable creatures in every respect-from their amazing coloring to the way they behave. Having a pied pair of lovebirds would certainly be a sensible choice for someone who has a special affection for them.

Make sure you look all around you before committing to see what options you have. Depending on how long it takes for this mutation to appear, you may have to wait for a little while, but it’s well worth the wait.