Peach-faced Lovebird Identification Guide
A small, chunky African parrot with a salmon-pink face and throat, green body, and blue rump, also established as feral populations in some cities.
Read the full Peach-faced Lovebird encyclopedia entry →
Key Field Marks
- Size & shape: A small, stocky parrot around 15 cm long, with a short tail and a large head typical of lovebirds.
- Plumage: Bright green body overall, with a distinctive peach to salmon-pink face, forehead, and throat.
- Rump: A vivid blue rump patch, visible especially in flight, is a key diagnostic feature separating it from other lovebird species.
- Bill: Bright coral-red to horn-colored bill.
- Behavior: Highly social, usually seen in pairs or small flocks; flies fast and direct with quick wingbeats. Nests colonially, often building bulky stick nests in the crevices of weaver bird colonies or in rock cavities and cliff crevices.
Separating It from Similar Species
- Fischer's Lovebird: Has a bold white eye-ring, which Peach-faced Lovebird lacks; face is more orange-red than peach.
- Masked Lovebird: Has a dark blackish head and a white eye-ring, quite different from the pink-faced, eye-ring-less pattern of Peach-faced Lovebird.
- Rosy-faced is simply another common name for this same species; there is no separate similarly-named species to confuse it with in its native range.
Where & When to See It
- Native range: Arid regions of southwestern Africa, including Namibia, southern Angola, and parts of South Africa.
- Habitat: Semi-arid savanna and scrub, often near cliffs, rocky outcrops, or human structures used for nesting, and always relatively close to water sources.
- Feral populations: Established self-sustaining feral populations exist in some urban areas outside the native range, notably in the Phoenix, Arizona area, where escaped/released birds have bred successfully for decades.
- Season: Resident year-round with no long-distance migration.
Voice
Loud, shrill, chattering screeches given frequently, especially in flight or when flocks are disturbed.
Frequently asked questions
What is the key field mark of a Peach-faced Lovebird?
A salmon-pink face and throat combined with a green body and a contrasting blue rump patch, and no white eye-ring.
How do I tell Peach-faced from Fischer's Lovebird?
Fischer's Lovebird has a bold white eye-ring and a more orange-red face, while Peach-faced Lovebird lacks the eye-ring and has a softer peach-pink face.
Are Peach-faced Lovebirds found outside Africa?
Yes, feral self-sustaining populations are established in some warm urban areas, most notably around Phoenix, Arizona, from escaped or released birds.
Where do Peach-faced Lovebirds nest?
In colonies, often within the crevices of large weaver bird nests, rock cavities, or crevices in cliffs and buildings.
Peach-faced Lovebird identified by the community
Recent Peach-faced Lovebird sightings identified with Bird Identifier.
