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    Colius

    Eating food while staying upright is still a thing, right? They beg to differ

    Four species, including the Speckled mousebird (the largest living species in the family), constitute the genus Colius. Like its sister taxa, Urocolius, this group is spread throughout Africa. It is characterized by its medium-sized members (a body about 10 cm in length), stubby bills, and light crests (small hair-like feathers on the head).

    When hungry, they can switch their acrobatic mode on! Okay, there’s no such thing, but the fact that these birds can feed upside down exudes some athletic hint, right? So, to explain that, we’ll have to pay attention to their strong claws and pamprodactyl feet (their outer toes are reversible) that aid in perching on tree branches.