The Rare Lovebirds ... A Future Focus: The Black-cheeked LovebirdThe Black-cheeked Lovebird

The Black-cheeked Lovebird from southwestern Zambia, formerly Rhodesia, has the most limited range of any of the lovebirds. It inhabits lowland river valleys, with local seasonal movements. Its range approaches that of the Nyasa Lovebirds, the species it is most closely related to, however, does not overlap or form a cline. The pure Black-cheeked is a small pretty bird. It is sometimes confused with the Masked Lovebird from East Africa, and at first glance, there are some similiarities. The Black-cheeked is distinguishable by its smaller size, paler beak, brownishblack face and green rump. The iris is lighter colored, ·and the small throat patch is pinkish-orange, replacing the broad yellow collar and chest of the Masked. The Black-cheeked has been hybridized with all of the other eye-ring lovebirds and pure stock has often been difficult to locate. Even among imports I have received from Rhodesia there were specimens which were obviously crossed with Nyasas. They have also been frequently crossed with the Masked. In early aviculture (the thirties), large shipments of Black-cheeked Lovebirds were imported from Rhodesia and commenced breeding rather quickly. Because of their more subdued coloring they never gained the popularity of some of the other species, and subsequently became scarce. Rhodesia cut off exportation of native birds some years ago, so breeders interested this lovebird were left scrambling with virtually no stock left the country. In 1973 Lee Horton of Agapornis Acres Vista, California brought 26 Black-cheeked. The birds began breeding the next year and, initially, the offspring looked good. However, the major problem was that the young raised would die during the first major molt between eight to 10 months of age. I received some Black-cheeked and Nyasas the same year as Lee and had the identical problem. Even with the complications with the young birds, Lee persisted working to establish them, devoting years to line breeding to build a healthy strain whose offspring would survive. I believe that from the late seventies and on through the eighties Lee was the only person the country who still had a large enough quantity, as well as the patience and interest to work with them. A few pairs did trickle in through quarantine from Europe. Finally 1993 Mark Roberts of Georgia and I contacted Mr. Kloosterman Denmark, probably Europe's foremost breeder of Blackcheeked. We arranged to import 30 birds. We came just under the wire before the new laws took effect and we actually got the last quota issued for lovebirds.' Lee Horton and Janice Pritchard both anxiously agreed to participate forming a breeding consortium with us for Black-cheeked. There were no losses quarantine and as Mr. Kloosterman had promised us, the birds commenced breeding very quickly. Also at this time, Lee began trading birds with the San Diego Zoo which had a completely different strain they received from Vogelpark Zoo Germany. Mark rounded up some birds from the previous importations of one dealer which we also thought were unrelated. So now, 1994 the Black-cheeked Lovebird, previously one of the rarest species, has an excellent prognosis for becoming established the United States. In addition to our breeding consortium, I know of several other groups the country. We would invite those aviculturists to work with us.