Taxonomy
The lovebird genus comprises nine species of which five are monotypic and four are divided into subspecies. Eight of them are native in the mainland of Africa and the Madagascar Lovebird is native to Madagascar. In the wild the different species are separated geographically.
Traditionally, lovebirds are divided in 3 groups:
- 1. the sexually dimorphic species: Madagascar, Abyssinian, and Red-headed Lovebird
- 2. the intermediate species: Peach-faced Lovebird
- 3. the white-eye-ringed species: Masked, Fischer's, Lilian's, and Black-cheeked Lovebirds
However, this division is not fully supported by phylogenetic studies, as the species of the dimorphic group are not grouped together in a single clade.
Species and subspecies:
- Rosy-faced Lovebird, Agapornis roseicollis, — or Peach-faced Lovebird
- Agapornis roseicollis catumbella,
- Agapornis roseicollis roseicollis,
- Yellow-collared Lovebird, Agapornis personatus, — or Masked Lovebird
- Fischer's Lovebird, Agapornis fischeri, Reichenow, 1887
- Lilian's Lovebird, Agapornis lilianae, — or Nyasa Lovebird
- Black-cheeked Lovebird, Agapornis nigrigenis,
- Grey-headed Lovebird, Agapornis canus, — or Madagascar Lovebird
- Agapornis canus ablectaneus,
- Agapornis canus canus,
- Black-winged Lovebird, Agapornis taranta, — or Abyssinian Lovebird
- Red-headed Lovebird, Agapornis pullarius, — or Red-faced Lovebird
- Agapornis pullarius pullarius,
- Agapornis pullarius ugandae,
- Black-collared Lovebird, Agapornis swindernianus, — or Swindern's Lovebird
- Agapornis swindernianus emini,
- Agapornis swindernianus swindernianus,
- Agapornis swindernianus zenkeri,
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