Common tailorbird (Orthotomus sutorius) complete detail

Common tailorbird (Orthotomus sutorius) complete detail. Description of Common tailorbird (Orthotomus sutorius) – Tuntuni. Classification of Common tailorbird (Orthotomus sutorius). Habit and habitat of Common tailorbird. 

The Common Tailorbird lives in deciduous forests, scrub lands, mangroves, open woodlands, urban parks and gardens. Common Tailorbird is very active when foraging and hopping into vegetation of wooded habitat, searching for insects. This bird flicks continuously its tail, often erect. Always active and restless, they are usually seen in pairs. They feeds on insects, adults and larvae. They may also snack on small fruits, berries, sip some nectar or eat tiny seeds. They are usually found in pairs. They constantly shift their perch in the under story thickets, and make short, quick darting flights………..

Breeding season range between January to June (peak in February and March). Female lays 2 to 4 reddish or bluish white, spotted with brownish red eggs, speckled with brown. Incubation lasts about 14 days, by female.

Tailorbird is a little beautiful bird with long tail. Always active and restless. Tailorbird has bright olive-green upper parts and rust colored crown. Local name of Common tailorbird is Tuntuni. They performs short, quick darting flights.

Click here to view State wise list of Indian state birds (symbols) – updated

Description

Size of Common tailorbird is between 10 cm to 13 cm including the tail. The Weight of adult is between 5 g. to 15 g. Tailorbird is a little beautiful bird with long tail. Tailorbird has bright olive-green upper parts and rust colored crown. It has two elongated pinpointed feathers in the tail. Underparts are paler, creamy buff. Thighs are rufous. Wings are short and rounded.

On the head, center of crown is rufous and face is white and black patches on the neck. Bill is long and down curved. Eyes are pale brown. Legs and feet are pinkish.  Male has long central tail feathers in breeding plumage, and female has less rufous on forehead. Juvenile is duller than adults.

Classification

Common Name – Common tailorbird

Local Name – Tuntuni

Zoological Name – Orthotomus sutorius

Kingdom – Animalia

Phylum – Chordata

Class – Aves

Order – Passeriformes

Family – Cisticolidae

Genus – Orthotomus

Conservational Status – Schedule – IV, according to wildlife (Protection) act, 1972 and classified as Least Concern (LC) by the IUCN.

Distribution

Common Tailorbird is resident, and breeds in South Asia, from Pakistan and India to South China, and Indonesia. It can be found up to 1600 meters of elevation in SW Asia.

The Common Tailorbird, generally found in South Asia, from Pakistan and India to South China, and Indonesia.  Tailorbird also range extends from India to southern China and down into Indonesia. It is common, mostly in the lowlands, but can range as high as 4000 ft.

Habit and habitat

The Common Tailorbird lives in deciduous forests, scrub lands, mangroves, open woodlands, urban parks and gardens. Common Tailorbird is very active when foraging and hopping into vegetation of wooded habitat, searching for insects. This bird flicks continuously its tail, often erect. Always active and restless, they are usually seen in pairs.

Common Tailorbird feeds on insects, adults and larvae. They may also snack on small fruits, berries, sip some nectar or eat tiny seeds. They are usually found in pairs. They constantly shift their perch in the under story thickets, and make short, quick darting flights.

The call of common tailorbird is loud cheerful towit-towit, pretty-pretty-pretty. Common Tailorbird performs short, quick darting flights.

Nests are built by folding and stitching a large leaf. Female builds the nest, using one or two large green living leaves, in low bush or small tree. She pierces an equal number of holes on each leaf edge, using its pointed bill as a needle. She stitches back and forth through the holes and leaves an entrance hole at the top. Male may escort her when she collects nest materials. It gets its name from the way its nest is built, sewing leaves together with spider webs or fine grass.

Breeding season range between January to June (peak in February and March). Female lays 2 to 4 reddish or bluish white, spotted with brownish red eggs, speckled with brown. Incubation lasts about 14 days, by female. Both parents feed and raise the chicks. Young fledge at about 25 days of age.