Except for the “jumpy” attitude in her eye, this beautiful bird looks as if she forages slowly on the ground.

Silver-eared mesias (Leiothrix argentauris) are native to Southeast Asia where they live in the forest eating insects and fruit.

DNA testing recently re-classed them into new family (Leiothrichidae) and genus names (Leiothrix instead of Mesia), so it’s confusing when you look them up.  The books are hopelessly out of date and the Internet has both names.

At this link to an old name, Mesia argentauris, you’ll find videos, photos and sounds.  The birds are so fast-moving that some of the videos are posted in slow motion!  Even when standing still, silver-eared mesias rapidly flick their wings and tails.  Click here to see a male foraging at a feeding station.  Wow!

This female was photographed in Mae Wong National Park in Nakhon Sawan, Thailand.  After you’ve seen them move, you realize how hard it was to capture this sharp photo.

(this photo is a Featured Picture on Wikimedia Commons.  Click on the image to see the original.)