Wildlifeof Nepal
Silver-eared Mesia
Babblers, Laughingthrushes & White-eyes
Photo: JJ Harrison · CC BY-SA 3.0
Leiothrix argentauris
Basic stats
Diet
Insects and their larvae, fruit and to a lesser extent seeds
Habitat
Forest; forages mostly close to the ground but up to 5m into the canopy; nest near ground level or up to 2m up in a bush
Range
Southeast Asia and the eastern Himalaya
The silver-eared mesia is a bird of South East Asia, its diet dominated by insects and their larvae as well as fruit and, to a lesser extent, seeds. A study of feral birds in Hong Kong found insect remains in 87% of faecal samples and fruit remains in 97%. It often associates in large groups of up to thirty birds while foraging, and even forms groups in the breeding season, generally feeding close to the ground but going as high as 5 m into the canopy (Wikipedia, general species account).
It is a seasonal breeder, November to August, starting later, in April, in the northern part of its range (Wikipedia, general species account).
Quick answers
- What does the Silver-eared Mesia eat?
- Insects and their larvae, fruit and to a lesser extent seeds
- What habitat does the Silver-eared Mesia live in?
- Forest; forages mostly close to the ground but up to 5m into the canopy; nest near ground level or up to 2m up in a bush
- Where is the Silver-eared Mesia found?
- Southeast Asia and the eastern Himalaya