Orthotomus sericeus
The Rufous-tailed Tailorbird (*Orthotomus sericeus*) is a vibrant and diminutive songbird, celebrated for its remarkable nest-building prowess. Averaging 10-12 cm in length and weighing a mere 6-9 grams, this species exhibits a striking appearance with its olive-green upperparts, contrasting bright rufous tail, and clean white underparts. A key field mark is its grey head, often topped with a rufous or reddish crown, especially pronounced in males, which also display slightly richer plumage. ...
This tailorbird thrives in a variety of lowland to submontane forest habitats, including secondary growth, scrubland, coastal vegetation, and often plantations and gardens, typically below 1,000 meters elevation.
Their diet consists primarily of small insects, including beetles, caterpillars, ants, and spiders, which they expertly glean from foliage and branches.
The Rufous-tailed Tailorbird is a highly active and vocal diurnal species, constantly on the move through dense undergrowth and the lower to mid-story of vegetation. It primarily forages by gleaning small insects and spiders from leaves and twigs, often holding its rufous tail cocked and twitchin...
The Rufous-tailed Tailorbird is a resident species distributed across the Sundaic region of Southeast Asia. Its core breeding and year-round range extends throughout the Malay Peninsula, encompassing southern Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore. Further east, it is widespread across Sumatra, Borneo...
Least Concern
- The 'tailor' in its name refers to its extraordinary nest-building technique, where it literally sews leaves together using plant fibers and spider silk as thread. - Despite its small size, the Rufous-tailed Tailorbird possesses a remarkably loud and far-carrying song, often the first indicatio...