Book 11, Question 105
Why Do Tailorbirds Sew Leaves Into Nests?
Tailorbirds sew leaves into nests so their eggs stay hidden and dry! They live in warm parts of Asia. Using only a beak, they stitch big leaves into a leafy pocket.
More fun facts
- A female tailorbird chooses a broad, strong, bendy leaf deep in thick foliage and near the end of a branch, where predators have trouble reaching.
- She wraps the leaf around herself to check the size, and adds one or two more leaves if needed.
- Using her needle-shaped beak, she pokes tiny holes along the leaf edges, so small that the leaf stays green.
- She threads plant fibers or insect silk from cobwebs and caterpillar cocoons through the holes, and city tailorbirds even use cotton thread, wool and carpet fibers.
- The ends of each thread act like rivets, and the springy leaf grips the thread so the stitches do not unravel.
- A single tailorbird nest can have between 150 and 200 stitches.
- Leaves pulled down over the top make a roof that shades the nest and keeps out monsoon rain.
- The female does all the sewing over two to four days, while the male brings all the building materials.
Sources: Natural History Museum, London
Questions kids ask
Do tailorbirds really sew?
Yes. They poke holes in leaves with their beaks and pull fibers through to hold the leaves together.
Why sew leaves instead of building in the open?
The sewn leaves hide the nest and help protect the chicks, since many predators hunt tailorbirds.