The colorful Silver-eared Mesia is like a splash of beauty found high in the green mountain forests of Southeast Asia. With its striking combination of bright yellow, green and blue plumage contrasting against the silver patches on each side of its head, it surely stands out amongst the other bird species it shares the trees with.
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Standing at about 15 to 17 centimeters tall, it's a relatively small bird. But its vibrant presence surely makes up for its size as it flits from branch to branch through the canopy. The elevations it calls home, from 1,200 to 2,500 meters above sea level, are like sky islands amongst the rolling landscape below.
In these mountain woodlands, the Silver-eared Mesia finds all it needs to survive - insects, fruits and berries growing abundantly all around. And by feeding on these foods, it in turn helps spread seeds and supports the whole ecosystem. Living in small flocks also allows it to better search for meals together while keeping safe from overhead threats like hawks and snakes lurking below.
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Although not currently at risk, the Mesia's home forests face an uncertain future as humans clear more land for development. If this habitat loss can't be slowed, it may impact the bird's tight-knit family groups that contribute so much color and song to these mountain retreats each year. For now, birders and nature-lovers feel lucky to spot the cute creatures going about their days high in the tree canopies of Myanmar, Thailand and beyond.
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