Tailorbird

Tailorbirds are small birds, most belonging to the genus Orthotomus. While they were often placed in the Old World warbler family Sylviidae, recent research suggests they more likely belong in the Cisticolidae and they are treated as such in Del Hoyo et al.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> One former species, the mountain tailorbird (and therefore also its sister species rufous-headed tailorbird), is actually closer to an old world warbler genus Cettia.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>

They occur in the Old World tropics, principally in Asia.

These warblers are usually brightly colored, with green or grey upper parts and yellow white or grey under parts. They often have chestnut on the head.

Tailorbirds have short rounded wings, short tails, strong legs and long curved bills. The tail is typically held upright, like a wren. They are typically found in open woodland, scrub and gardens.

Tailorbirds get their name from the way their nest is constructed. The edges of a large leaf are pierced and sewn together with plant fibre or spider's web to make a cradle in which the actual grass nest is built.

File:Tailorbird baby.jpg

Tailorbird baby and nest

Species

The genus contains 13 species:<ref name=ioc>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Image	Common Name	Scientific Name	Distribution
File:Common tailorbird (51314191397).jpg	Common tailorbird	Orthotomus sutorius	China, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Laos, Malaysia, Singapore, Cambodia, and Vietnam
File:Dark-necked Tailorbird (Orthotomus atrogularis) - Flickr - Lip Kee.jpg	Dark-necked tailorbird	Orthotomus atrogularis	Bangladesh, Northeast India, and Southeast Asia
	Cambodian tailorbird	Orthotomus chaktomuk<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>	Cambodia
	Visayan tailorbird	Orthotomus castaneiceps	Philippines
	Green-backed tailorbird	Orthotomus chloronotus	Philippines
	Rufous-fronted tailorbird	Orthotomus frontalis	eastern Philippines
	Grey-backed tailorbird	Orthotomus derbianus	Philippines (Palawan, Luzon, and Catanduanes)
File:Rufous-tailed tailorbird (cropped).jpg	Rufous-tailed tailorbird	Orthotomus sericeus	Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand
File:Ashy Tailorbird (Orthotomus ruficeps) - Flickr - Lip Kee.jpg	Ashy tailorbird	Orthotomus ruficeps	Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam
File:Olive-backed Tailorbird - Bot.Gardens - Bedugul - Bali S4E3209 (29696928462).jpg	Olive-backed tailorbird	Orthotomus sepium	Indonesia (Java, Madura Island, Bali and Lombok)
	Yellow-breasted tailorbird	Orthotomus samarensis	Philippines
	Black-headed tailorbird	Orthotomus nigriceps	Philippines (Mindanao, Dinagat, and Siargao)
	White-eared tailorbird	Orthotomus cinereiceps	Philippines (Basilan and West Mindanao)

Two species moved to the Cettiidae:

• Mountain tailorbird, Phyllergates cucullatus
• Rufous-headed tailorbird, Phyllergates heterolaemus

References

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Bibliography

• The New Student's Reference Work/Tailor-Bird
• Baker, Kevin. Warblers of Europe, Asia and North Africa. (2007). Template:ISBN
• Ryan, Peter (2006). Family Cisticolidae (Cisticolas and allies). Pp. 378–492 in del Hoyo, J.; Elliott, A.; Christie, D.A. (editors). (2006). Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 11. Old World Flycatchers to Old World Warblers. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. Template:ISBN

External links

• Call of the common tailorbird