Common Tailorbird

Common Tailorbird Orthotomus sutorius was recorded on only four occasions on the tour. It is often hidden deep in vegetation and therefore a difficult species to photograph.

It is a songbird found across tropical Asia and a common resident in urban gardens. It has a distinctive long upright tail, greenish upper body plumage and rust coloured forehead and crown. It is typically found in open farmland, scrub, forest edges 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 silk to make a cradle in which the actual nest is built.

The species was earlier placed in the family Sylviidae but more recent molecular studies place the species within the family Cisticolidae, along with Prinia, Apalis and Cisticola. The family is represented in Africa and Europe as well as Asia

A number of subspecies are recognized within the widespread range of Common Tailorbird in South Asia and Southeast Asia. The nominate race is from the lowlands of Sri Lanka. Race O. s. fernandonis is found in the highlands of Sri Lanka. Neighbouring India has O.s. guzuratus in the peninsula and west to Pakistan while towards the north O. s. patia is found in the Terai of Nepal along the Himalayan foothills until Myanmar. A small population of O. s. patia is also found in the northern Eastern Ghats. The hills of north-eastern India have O. s. luteus. In Southeast Asia O. s. inexpectatus and O. s. maculicollis are found in Thailand, Laos and Vietnam, Malaysia, Cambodia and Vietnam. South-east China, including the island of Hainan, and Tonkin in Vietnam have O. s. longicauda while O. s. edela is found on Java.

Reference: Wikipedia