African Love Birds Peach Face

The African Love Birds is a tiny bird, friendly, living around its lifetime. In a city where space is measured carefully, this breed asks less of a floor plan than people expect - it cares far more about whether anyone is in the room.

The real work here is seasonal. Four months of rain shape the coat care, the drying routine and the walk schedule, and a household that plans for that enjoys the bird considerably more than one surprised by it each June.

Caring for an African Love Birds through a Mumbai year

• Monsoon: four months of rain shape the routine. Dry the bird thoroughly and never let bedding stay damp.
• Cage: wide rather than tall, with room to open both wings, and out of direct draught.
• Diet: pellets and fresh vegetables, not an all-seed bowl. Never avocado, chocolate or caffeine.
• Nails and beak: checked periodically; overgrowth signals a diet or perch problem.
• Clinic: number saved and records kept in the same place.