These amazing birds are known as Silver-eared Mesias and they are truly one of the most beautiful and interesting birds you may ever see.
Radiating with amazing colours of gold, red and green, the bird is a native of southern Asia and is found in greatest numbers in South-East Asia, including Thailand, Vietnam and Laos.
While in many bird species, it is only the male that has bright vibrant colours, in the case of the Mesia, the beautiful plumage is seen on both genders. The males are adorned with feathers that tend to be more red-orange, while the females tend to be a more brilliant yellow.
Their diet, like most birds of their size, is made up of fruit, nuts and larvae. They are also known to eat small insects, making them a true omnivorous bird.
These birds are also highly social, often living in groups of 30 who will forage together and gain protection from having many shared eyes that look out for danger from predators. This shared safety in numbers strategy doesn't just extend to their fellow Mesias, often the Mesias will even forage with other birds, meaning that they then gain the protection of these birds who will startle if any one of them sees a threat approaching.
In breeding, these birds will operate as a male and female couple to build the nest for their eggs. Made up of vegetation, the nest can take around 4 days to construct after which the female will lay 2 to 5 eggs that will soon hatch with baby Mesias. The males and females then take turns looking after the eggs and sitting on them while the other collects food. They then work together to feed the chicks after they are born.
These little birds were also sought after as pets, but as many have escaped captivity, they are now found in places they were not formerly common, such as Hong Kong, and have now established thriving colonies of wild birds.
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h/t: Earth Wonders
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