The silver-eared mesia has short, strong orange beaks that aid in catching insects and plucking berries, and the species possesses thin legs enabling it to cling to slender branches; young birds have short beaks which parents fill with food, and their bodies are covered in soft down in the first days of life. After a period of rapid growth, the plumage of the young is not as vibrant as that of adults, with the silver ear patches only just forming. Adult silver-eared mesias display black heads, bright silvery ear patches, an olive-green back, a yellow throat and chest, and red spots on the wings. The species also has short, rounded wings that allow for quick flights between bushes; adult birds have two wings.