The Lilian's lovebird is 13 cm (5 inches) long and is mainly green with white eyerings. It has orange on its head, neck and upper chest and has a green rump. Male and female are identical in external appearance.
The Lilian's lovebird is often mistaken for the slightly larger Fischer's lovebird, which has an olive-green hood and a blue rump. It is also broadly similar to the Peach-faced lovebird, which has more clearly demarcated orange colouration, and lacks a white eyering[Ⅱ] .