The spatial ecology of the Rosy-faced Lovebird Agapornis roseicollis in Namibia

Abstract

Eight Rosy-faced Lovebirds from two study sites and four colonies in Namibia's Claratal and Hohewarte districts were tagged and their local movements tracked using radio transmitters. The birds' movements averaged 415.7 ± 391.3m in summer and 1 030.5 ± 1 068.6m in winter. There were marked seasonal differences in flight distances to feeding grounds, suggesting food resource scarcity in winter. The lovebirds preferred open grassland habitat with scattered shrubs where the most preferred diet, the seeds of Anthephora schinzii, was abundant. Home range areas varied, but averaged 0.59 ± 0.52km2 and overlapped greatly. The birds were crepuscular and highly social, with a mean flock size of 7.3. The birds' movements averaged 415 ± 3.3m in summer and 1 030 ± 1 068m in winter.

Ostrich 2006, 77(1&2): 52–57