Photo: Unknown authorUnknown author / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Olive-backed Tailorbird
Orthotomus sepium
Olive-backed Tailorbird (Orthotomus sepium) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of South & Southeast Asia.
Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Olive-backed Tailorbird (Orthotomus sepium) is a member of the Cisticolidae family found in South & Southeast Asia. Adults weigh 8.4 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Cisticolidae Cisticolas & Allies
- Genus Orthotomus
- Species sepium
Quick facts
- Weight
- 8.4 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Cisticolidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Olive-backed Tailorbird is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Olive-backed Tailorbird is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Olive-backed Tailorbird (Orthotomus sepium) is a member of the Cisticolidae family, within the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across South & Southeast Asia. Its distribution covers OR Java to w Lesser Sundas.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 8.4 g, with a wing length of about 4.5 cm and a tail of around 4.2 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 140,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Olive-backed Tailorbird?
The Olive-backed Tailorbird is a very small bird that weighs around 8.4 g.
Where does the Olive-backed Tailorbird live?
The Olive-backed Tailorbird is found across South & Southeast Asia with a range covering OR Java to w Lesser Sundas, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Olive-backed Tailorbird belong to?
The Olive-backed Tailorbird (Orthotomus sepium) belongs to the Cisticolidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Olive-backed Tailorbird eat?
The Olive-backed Tailorbird is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Olive-backed Tailorbird migrate?
The Olive-backed Tailorbird is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Olive-backed Tailorbird endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Olive-backed Tailorbird make?
1 real field recording of the Olive-backed Tailorbird — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Olive-backed Tailorbird's range?
The Olive-backed Tailorbird has a mapped global range of about 140,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
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