Orthotomus sutorius (Pennant, 1769)

A shy bird, usually hidden within vegetation, they are well known for theirn nests which are sewn together from leaves. Greenish with a long upright tail and rust colored forehaed and crown.

A small, olive-green bird with whitish underparts, a rust coloured crown, and a jauntily cocked tail. The sexes are alike, although the breeding male has two elongated, pointed feathers in the tail. It is usually seen alone or in pairs. It is found at the edges of forests and cultivation, but is equally at home in scrub and garden shrubbery in busy towns. It is a restless bird and appears quite fearless around occupied houses and gardens, hopping around in trellised creepers and potted plants. It feeds on small insects, their eggs and grubs, and flower nectar. Its call is a loud, cheerful towit-towit-towit or pretty-pretty-pretty, and is often heard in gardens. It lays its eggs in a cup of soft fibres, wool and down placed in a funnel made of plant leaves cleverly stitched together - hence its name.

A small olive green and white bird with a long, cocked tail. A reddish cap and black patch on the throat are diagnostic.

O. s. sutorius (Pennant, 1769) O. s. fernandonis (Whistler, 1939) O. s. guzuratus (Latham, 1790) O. s. patia Hodgson, 1845 O. s. luteus Ripley, 1948 O. s. inexpectatus La Touche, 1922 O. s. maculicollis F. Moore, 1855 O. s. longicauda (J. F. Gmelin, 1789) O. s. edela Temminck, 1836

The season ranges between April and September. The nest is a remarkable structure. It is a rough cup of soft fibres, cotton wool or vegetable down placed in a funnel formed by folding over and stitching a broad leaf along its edges. Sometimes 2 or more leaves are sewn together. The stitching material is cotton or vegetable down cleverlv knotted at the ends to prevent the sewing getting undone. The site is some largeleafed plant or creeper, the nest being usually under 3 feet from the ground. Crotons, young fig or mango-grafts and other plants growing in pots in a garden, porch or verandah are much favoured. The eggs- 3 or 4 in number- -are reddish- or bluishwhite, usually spotted with brownish-red. Both sexes share in building and care of the young, but apparently the female alone incubates.

Smaller than the Sparrow.

A small restless olive-green bird with whitish underparts, a rust coloured crown, and elongated middle feathers of the tail which is habitually cocked. Sexes alike.

It is common in cities as well as forests, and is well-known for its habit of making nests by stitching leaves together The song is a rapid `chi-chi-wich-chi-chi-wich ´, often uttered from a perch.

This familiar little bird is equally at home in outlying scrub jungle or in gardens in the heart of a town. While not found in actual desert, it is nevertheless present in small numbers in the arid tracts of N.-W. India, wherever there is any shrubbery, about villages and in the compounds of Dak Bungalows. It is tame and confiding and will fearlessly enter the verandahs of occupied houses, hopping about on the ground with jauntily cocked tail, or among the creepers and potted plants within a few feet of the inmates. Its loud cheerful calls towit-, towit-towit or pretty-pretty-pretty, etc., are familiar sounds on the countryside. Its food consists of small insects, their eggs and caterpillars, but the birds are also fond of . the nectar of Silk Cotton and Coral flowers and resort to them unfailingly.

Occurs in outlying scrub jungle or in gardens and shrubbery within a bustling town.

Singly or pairs, in shrubbery.

IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern

Red List Category & Criteria: Least Concern ver 3.1