Fun Common Tailorbird Facts For Kids

Nature has taught humans a lot. The tailorbird is one such teacher. The common tailorbird (orthotomus sutorius) is a sewing aficionado.

In fact, the tailorbird gets its name from the way it builds its nest. The images of a nest of the common tailorbird beautifully demonstrate this point. Many artisans and architects around the world have been inspired by the way this tiny bird uses fibers and other plant material to sew a safe nest for its babies.

The tailorbird, which can be found across South Asia, has adapted to urban environments. So, in parks and gardens, they might be seen foraging for insects and berries. Continue reading if you want to learn more about the tailorbird, including how to recognize it, how it weaves leaves together, and where you may find these nests.

It is time to learn why the common tailorbird nest building is so unique, among other things. Explore facts about other urban birds like cockatoos and blue jays on Kidadl.

Common Tailorbird Interesting Facts

What type of animal is a common tailorbird?

The common tailorbird (orthotomus sutorius) is a songbird whose loud calls reverberate in urban gardens. This tiny bird is well-known for the way it builds its nest.

What class of animal does a common tailorbird belong to?

A member of the genus Orthotomus, the common tailorbird belongs to the class of Aves.

How many common tailorbirds are there in the world?

The common tailorbird's global population has yet to be determined. It is, nonetheless, a common species with a stable population.

Where does a common tailorbird live?

The common tailorbird's habitat ranges from parks and gardens near human habitation to forests. The tailorbird's range extends throughout South Asia and Southeast Asia. Pakistan, India, Malaysia, Southern China, and Indonesia are among the countries where the tailorbird breeds and lives.

What is a common tailorbird's habitat?

The common tailorbird lives in urban parks and gardens near your house, forests, and woods. They were discovered at an elevation of approximately 5250 ft (1600 m). The common tailorbird can be found in deciduous forests, mangroves, open woodlands, scrublands, and urban parks.

Who do common tailorbirds live with?

The common tailorbird lives in pairs or as a family until the young fledge.

How long does a common tailorbird live?

The lifespan of a common tailorbird is estimated to be 3.1 years.

How do they reproduce?

The breeding season of the common tailorbird (orthotomus sutorius) depends on the location. Generally, the breeding season begins in January and continues through to June. February to March are the peak months in this bird's breeding season.

The nesting period lasts around three to five days while two to six days, it takes for the female to lay the eggs. Being a monogamous species, the pair only mates with each other. When mating the pair will remain close and maintain a territory that they protect fearlessly.

The female will begin weaving her nest in order to prepare for her family. The male may accompany the female while she collects the material.

She will begin by creating the core structure out of leaves that will be sewn together with fine spider webs or other material. She will go back and forth until all of the holes are closed. The holes are made on the edges of the leaf.

Inside the common tailorbird weaving nest made, the female places a large leaf on which she will lay around two to five eggs. The eggs are not white instead pastel blue in color with brown speckles.

She will incubate the eggs for about 12 days. Once the chicks hatch, both males and females will take turns to feed them. When the chicks are ready to fly, they will leave the nests 24 days after hatching.

The nest is then abandoned by the couple. However, this nest can be refurbished and used by another tailorbird couple.

What is their conservation status?

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the conservation status of the common tailorbird (orthotomus sutorius) is categorized as Least Concern. These tropical birds are quite commonly seen in their habitat range.

Common Tailorbird Fun Facts

What do common tailorbirds look like?

The common tailorbird is a small-sized bird with a long tail. Both sexes look alike, but they are subtle differences. The male has long central tail feathers, olive green, and creamy underparts, rufous thighs, short and rounded wings.

Apart from the long tail, the common tailorbird's crown is rufous, white face and brown eyes. Legs and toes are skin-colored. The bill is sharp like a needle, pinkish in color, long with a downward curve.

The sharp bill is instrumental in expertly knitting the materials like leaf and cotton to make the nest. There is a black collar on the neck of the birds. The wings have a lighter brown color.

The female's crown will be duller. The young birds will have a duller body and crown color than the adults. During breeding, the male's central tail feathers tend to grow by about 1.18 in (3 cm).

How cute are they?

The tiny and active tailorbird is really cute, just like a rufous hummingbird.

How do they communicate?

The common tailorbird call consists of a sequence of repeated noises such as 'kipi-kipi-kipi', 'chwek-chwek-chwek', and 'pi-pi-pi'. The active songbird also has a rapid descending trill, like hummingbirds. Their melodious calls can be quite loud.

How big is a common tailorbird?

The size of the common tailorbird ranges between 4.7-5.1 in (12-13 cm). This makes them slightly larger than the palm warblers.

How fast can a common tailorbird fly?

The average speed of a common tailorbird has yet to be determined. These birds, on the other hand, are known for their ability to make short, darting flights. These active birds can be found hopping and fluttering constantly in search of feed.

How much does a common tailorbird weigh?

The weight range of a common tailorbird is 0.2-0.3 oz (6-10 g). It weighs more than green warblers.

What are the male and female names of the species?

Both sexes are referred to as common tailorbirds.

What would you call a baby common tailorbird?

The baby common tailorbird has no specific name. It is either known as a chick or a young bird.

What do they eat?

Common tailorbirds are omnivorous so they consume both plants and animals. Among plants, these birds can be spotted consuming fruits like berries. They also eat small seeds and use their fine bill to drink nectar. Among animals, the tailorbird consumes a variety of insects and invertebrates. These include moths, larvae, spiders, termites, grasshoppers, and worms.

Are they poisonous?

No, these birds are not poisonous.

Would they make a good pet?

As the tailorbird has adapted to human habitations, your presence may not frighten it. Nonetheless, this bird species was meant to breed and thrive in the wild. As a result, they would not make a good pet.

Did you know...

In his famous book, 'The Jungle Book', Rudyard Kipling mentioned the tailorbird's sewing abilities and timid persona.

To prevent leaving the chicks susceptible to predators, the adults swallow the feces sac during breeding.

The clutch size of tropical birds is smaller compared to temperate birds.

It takes two to four days for the common tailorbird female to build these immaculate nests.

What are tailorbirds known for?

Tailorbirds are well-known for the skill with which they construct their nests. The female common tailorbird constructs her nest out of two leaves from a bush or tree.

The female will then use her pointed bill to make holes on the edges of both leaves. Natural materials such as spider web and plant fiber are used to sew the edges together.

She expertly stitches the material like rivets through all of the holes, bringing the leaves together while leaving a small entrance hole. The leaves will now form the shape of a cone.

The actual nest is built within this cone. The materials used to construct the cup vary on the location.

The nest is a deep cup-shaped structure made from either one large leaf or two medium-sized leaves. Following the placement of the leaf, the common tailorbird female lines the cup with soft plant materials, feathers, and grass. The goal is to use the resources optimally so that the nest is well insulated and reduces the development of parasites.

The cup-like structure from afar will look like another leaf. The outer and upper part of the nest is shiny and leaf-like. The smart tailorbird constructs its nest in the same direction as the rest of the foliage.

This intelligent nest construction again helps in hiding it from predators. Further, to avoid predation, the nest is built about 3.2 ft (1 m) above ground and is well camouflaged. This deft structure makes it difficult for even seasoned bird watchers to locate it among the thick foliage.

How did common tailorbirds get their name?

The common tailorbird (Orthotomus sutorius) was named after its legendary tailoring skills. Even professional tailors struggle to replicate the way this bird stitches its nest. Expertly crafted nests protect the eggs or young chicks from predators. One of the most fascinating natural experiences is watching a bird build its nest.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other birds from our eastern kingbird facts and Amazon parrot facts pages.

You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our bird coloring pages.