Ask Lafeber

Age

After researching the recommended age span for breeding birds, I got curious how old is too late to breed for Fischer’s lovebirds. One is five years old ( since it was born and raised with me) , other two birds’ ages are unknown, but they’re both young adults( I can tell by their vibrant colors and activity) , and finally 7-8 year old father of the five year old injured lovebird. He is healthy and has less activity because of age and didn’t seem to be interested in mating. The other two new birds always wants him to be their mate and spread their wings which is bad. I want one of them bond with the five year old lovebird and the other be a companion for the old bird. I also have another question, is there a way I can tell Fischer’s lovebird’s age?( thank you for answering my past questions)

Hi Lillium,

Knowing what age to stop breeding a species can be hard to determine. It’s easier to know when to start! The problem is that lifespans can vary a lot. Sadly a lot of breeders are not selective about which birds they allow to breed, and this can result in the genetics getting weaker. For example, some captive bred cockatiels only live up to 12 years old, while others live into their late 20’s to early 30’s. The difference is the longer lived birds probably came from birds that were bred to show, instead of birds that were bred for volume, to sell to the pet trade. With lovebirds, you see the same thing. Some living to around 10 and others living to late teens or mid 20’s. Typically, if you have a breeding pair, if they are getting too old you will see fewer fertile eggs, fewer hatches per clutch and fewer surviving chicks. For example if you have a pair that has always produced 4-5 chicks, twice a year, and then suddenly the numbers go down, it’s most likely time to retire the pair. I would think a 5 year old bird would still have a few years left to be a good breeder, but you can’t know for sure until you try. Unfortunately, once a lovebird is about 3-4 months old, there is no indication of age. A 6 month old bird can have the same appearance as a 6 year old bird.

Thank you for asking Lafeber,

Brenda