tailorbird

Everyday

A tailorbird is a small bird of tropical Asia, such as India and Southeast Asia, that makes its nest by sewing leaves together with plant fibres or spider silk, using its sharp beak like a needle. tree →

In the lessons

In science lessons tailorbirds are a famous example of animal behaviour and adaptation: they pierce holes in the edges of large leaves and pull threads through to make a cup, then build the nest inside. They are small, often green with a reddish cap and an upright tail. They also appear in Rudyard Kipling's story "Rikki-Tikki-Tavi" (Darzee the tailorbird).

Examples

• A tailorbird sews leaves together to hide its nest. tree →
• The tailorbird uses its beak like a needle. tree →
• Tailorbirds live in gardens and forests in India. tree →
• The tailorbird's nest is hidden inside a leafy cup. tree →
• In "Rikki-Tikki-Tavi", Darzee is a tailorbird. tree →
• Tailorbirds use spider silk as thread. tree →
• We watched a video of a tailorbird stitching a nest. tree →
• It was Darzee, the Tailorbird, and his wife. tree →

Note

One word: tailorbird. Plural: tailorbirds. Named after a tailor, a person who sews clothes.