The Leiothrix argentauris (scientific name) or silver-eared mesia is native to South-East Asia, specifically the foothills of the Himalayas. With a height of 7 inches, the silver-eared mesia has a black head and yellow neck. A tuft of silver feathers on either side of its head looks like ears. The body is greenish with red-orange wing tips, blue-grey back and tail feathers, and a red rump (orange in female). It is an extremely colourful bird. The diet of this bird consists mostly of insects, though it is known to eat fruits and very rarely even seeds. Both the male and the female build a nest, in which a clutch-size of 2-4 eggs is laid and incubated for 13-14 days. Its IUCN listing is the LEAST CONCERN.
Silver-eared Mesia
