Maybe it’s because summer has barely begun and I’m already over the humidity, but when I saw a photo of a Silver-eared mesia, I just felt myself being wrapped in a warm glow of autumn.
I’m also just more inclined towards the reds, golds, and muted greens of autumn than the pastels of spring or vibrant summer hues.
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Admittedly, since yellow is my favorite color, these little birds had me at hello.
Silver-eared mesias are found throughout southern Asia, particularly in Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Laos. They also live in the moist, tropical forests of southern China and will sometimes migrate to down to India in the winter.
While many bird species have dull females and brightly colored males, both sexes share the spotlight here.
The most obvious difference between male and female mesias is that males have throats that are red-orange, while females are yellow.
Exact color patterns can shift, with their backs varying between grey or olive, and the ratio of gray to red in the wings.
But they all have the distinctive black heads with shiny silver ear patches.
Due to the pattern variations, researchers currently consider there to be at least seven subspecies of the silver-eared mesia, but they are still learning more about what might make each subspecies distinctive.
These colorful little dudes are numerous and currently in no danger of extinction.
Their diet consists mainly of insects and fruit, which are plentiful in their habitat, and they’ve also flourished in places like Hong Kong, where groups have escaped from the pet trade.
h/t: Be Your Own Birder
