Common tailorbird

Orthotomus sutorius

Photo by Allen To (Images of Birds of Hong Kong)

Common name:
common tailorbird (en); costureiro-rabilongo (pt); couturière à longue queue (fr); sastrecillo común (es); rotstirn-schneidervogel (de)


Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Sylviidae


Range:
This species is found in southern Asia, from Pakistan and India to southern China and Indonesia.


Size:
These birds are 10-14 cm long and weigh 6-10 g.


Habitat:
The common tailor bird is found in forests, mangroves, scrublands, plantations, agricultural land and within urban areas.


Diet:
They mainly glean insects from foliage, namely beetles and bugs, but are also known to visit to the flowers of Bombak, Salmalia and other large flowers for nectar.


Breeding:
Common tailorbirds can breed all year round, varying between different locations. The nest cup is made of soft plant fibres and placed inside a group of green leaves sewn together by the birds using fibres. The careful sewing allows the leaves to remain alive and green which helps camouflage the nest. The female lays 2-5 pastel blue eggs with brown speckles, which she incubates alone for 12-14 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 14 days after hatching.


Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and is reported to be common. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.