Tailorbird

Tailorbird
Common tailorbirds (Orthotomus sutorius)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Cisticolidae
Genus: Orthotomus
Horsfield, 1821
Species

See text

Tailorbirds are small birds with most belonging to the genus Orthotomus often placed in the Old World warbler family Sylviidae. However, recent research suggests they more likely belong in the Cisticolidae and they are treated as such in Del Hoyo et al. (2006). One species, the mountain tailorbird (and therefore also its sister species rufous-headed tailorbird), is actually closer to an old world warbler genus Cettia.[1]

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

These warblers are usually brightly colored, with green or grey upperparts and yellow white or grey under parts. They often have chest nut 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.

Species list

Two species moved to the Cettiidae:

References

  1. Alström, Per; Ericson, P.G.P.; Olsson, U.; Sundberg, P. (2006). "Phylogeny and classification of the avian superfamily Sylvioidea". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 38 (2): 381–397. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2005.05.015. PMID 16054402.
  2. Mahood, S. P.; et al. (2013). "A new species of lowland tailorbird (Passeriformes: Cisticolidae: Orthotomus ) from the Mekong floodplain of Cambodia" (PDF). Forktail 29: 1–14.

Bibliography

External links

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