Discover How This Beautiful African Parrot Quickly Colonized One of America's Biggest Cities
In this extraordinary clip, we learn about the rosy-faced lovebirds who are a native species of dry areas of Africa but have set up home in yards and parks in Phoenix, Arizona. These guys are popular caged birds but some of their ancestors made a great escape! Once outside in the Phoenix environment, they discovered a habitat that suited them perfectly. In fact, the environment and climate suits them so well that it has taken them just 25 years to establish a breeding colony. It now covers almost all of the greater Phoenix area.
It turned out that the famous Arizona saguaro cactus could provide the perfect home for these birds. However, getting inside them is not easy because the cactus skin is so thick. These opportunists noticed that the gila woodpecker could peck its way through this hard skin. Because the woodpeckers create a new nest cavity in the cacti every year, there are plenty of unused holes for the lovebirds to move into!
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When it comes to food, humans play a huge role in keeping these visitors happy. People put out seeds in their gardens because they want to attract such a beautiful bird. Meanwhile, our lawn sprinklers provide an ample source of water. The best news of all, is that the lovebirds’ lifestyle, nesting sites, and diet, do not impact the local ecosystem.
Where Do Rosy-Faced Lovebirds Normally Live?
These guys have a range that is normally centered on the southwestern area of Africa. They can be spotted in the northwest corner of South Africa and through the western half of Namibia. Then, their range extends into the southwest corner of Angola. However, lovebirds are kept as cage bird in many parts of the world including the US and Japan.
In terms of habitat, they live in dry regions but are always near permanent standing water. Therefore, they are found on the outskirts of deserts and in woodlands as well as in poorly wooded areas that are near a water source.
What Do Rosy-Faced Lovebirds Normally Eat?
When they are not being fed by humans, this species feeds on seeds and are very fond of Acacia seeds in particular. They are able to pluck them from the growing plants or pick them up from the ground. These guys are also expert at removing the husk from the seed so that they can get at the tasty contents. They also feed on flowers and are known to drink water several times a day. This is why sprinklers come in so handy!
