Rose head

Rose head

We are delighted that Mira Beinert and Manfred Wittenhorst have taken on the sponsorship of the rose-headed chickadee (Agapornis roseicollis).

The rose-crowned chickadee is one of the bird exhibits in our permanent exhibition "Savannah". You have to look closely to spot it - because despite its splendidly colourful plumage, the little bird sits well hidden in the branches.

The rose-crowned chickadees, which are only found in the south-west of the African continent, belong to the genus of "lovebirds". The Agapornis species owe this name to their "tendency" to form strong bonds for life. The relationships are so close that a rose-headed parrot often dies if its partner is suddenly absent.

The breeding season of this small parrot species coincides with the time when the savannah grasses are producing seeds. Rock niches are used as nests, lined with twigs, which are usually carried by the parents in their rump feathers rather than in their beaks. However, the large nests of social weaver birds are also used as nests by rose-headed chickadees. The offspring, which consists of 4-6 young, is fed with mash made from all kinds of seeds, especially acacia and other legume species. The adult rose-headed chickadees feed in the same way as parrots: they hold the food with their foot and work it with their beak.