Tailorbirds are small birds, most belonging to the genus Orthotomus. While they were often placed in the Old World warbler family Sylviidae, recent research suggests they more likely belong in the Cisticolidae and they are treated as such in Del Hoyo et al. One former species, the mountain tailorbird, is actually closer to an old world warbler genus Cettia.
The common tailorbird is a songbird found across tropical Asia. Popular for its nest made of leaves "sewn" together and immortalized by Rudyard Kipling as Darzee in his Jungle Book, it is a common resident in urban gardens. Although shy birds that are usually hidden within vegetation, their loud calls are familiar and give away their presence. They are distinctive in having a long upright tail, greenish upper body plumage and rust coloured forehead and crown. This passerine bird 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. Punjab tailor birds produce shiny red eggs, but became extinct around 1975 due to laying their eggs in fields used to grow fodder crops.
The apalises are small passerine birds belonging to the genus Apalis, in the family Cisticolidae. They are found in forest, woodlands and scrub across most parts of sub-Saharan Africa. They are slender birds with long tails and have a slender bill for catching insects. They are typically brown, grey or green above and several species have brightly coloured underparts. Males and females are usually similar in appearance but the males are sometimes brighter.
The dark-necked tailorbird is a songbird species. Formerly placed in the "Old World warbler" assemblage, it is now placed in the family Cisticolidae.
The Philippine tailorbird is a species of bird formerly placed in the "Old World warbler" assemblage, but now placed in the family Cisticolidae. It is native to the western Philippines.
The white-eared tailorbird is a species of bird formerly placed in the "Old World warbler" assemblage, it but now placed in the family Cisticolidae.It is found in the Philippine islands of Basilan and West Mindanao.
The mountain tailorbird is a songbird species formerly placed in the "Old World warbler" assemblage, but is now placed in the genus Phyllergates of the family Cettiidae.
The gray-backed tailorbird is a species of bird formerly placed in the "Old World warbler" assemblage, it but now placed in the family Cisticolidae. It is native to the Philippine islands of Palawan, Luzon and Catanduanes.
The rufous-fronted tailorbird is a species of bird formerly placed in the Old World warbler assemblage, but now placed in the family Cisticolidae. It is native to the southern and eastern Philippines. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical mangrove forests.
The rufous-headed tailorbird is a species of bird in the family Cettiidae. It is found only in the Philippines. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest and subtropical or tropical moist montane forest.
The black-headed tailorbird is a songbird species in the family Cisticolidae. It was formerly included in the "Old World warbler" assemblage.
The ashy tailorbird is a species of bird formerly placed in the "Old World warbler" assemblage, it but now placed in the family Cisticolidae. It is found in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand, Vietnam. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest and subtropical or tropical mangrove forest.
The yellow-breasted tailorbird is a species of passerine bird formerly placed in the "Old World warbler" assemblage, but now placed in the family Cisticolidae.
The olive-backed tailorbird is a species of passerine bird formerly placed in the "Old World warbler" assemblage, it but now placed in the family Cisticolidae.
The rufous-tailed tailorbird is a species of bird formerly placed in the "Old World warbler" assemblage, it but now placed in the family Cisticolidae. It is found in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest and subtropical or tropical mangrove forest.
The eastern bearded greenbul is a species of songbird in the bulbul family, Pycnonotidae. It is found from south-eastern Nigeria to Central African Republic, north-eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, Congo and extreme north-western Angola. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests.
The long-billed forest warbler, also known as the long-billed tailorbird, is a songbird of the family Cisticolidae, formerly part of the "Old World warbler" assemblage. It is found in Tanzania and Mozambique. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. It is threatened by habitat destruction.
The green-backed sparrow is a species of bird in the family Passerellidae that is found in Belize, northern Guatemala, western Honduras and southern Mexico. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forest, subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest, and heavily degraded former forest.
The Cambodian tailorbird is a species of bird endemic to Cambodia, likely confined to a single dense shrub habitat in the floodplain of the Mekong river. It was first discovered and recorded by scientists in 2009 in Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia, during avian influenza checks. In 2013, it was determined to be a unique species and formally described. It is a very small bird, about 10 cm long, with an orange-red tuft on its head.
