One of my constant companions when I am out walking or birding in parks is the tiny, and so, so cute common tailorbird (Orthotomus sutorius).
Like most warblers, the common tailorbird is insectivorous...which is our word for the day: - An insectivore is a carnivorous plant or animal that eats insects. An alternative term is entomophage, which also refers to the human practice of eating insects. Nom, nom, gotta love those flies and grubs.
Here is a sequence i shot on December 28th 2019 in Lions Park, Sai Kung of one enjoying its lunch.
Now i've caught my house fly, how can i swallow it? maybe if i move my tongue to one side.....
nope, ok, how about if i toss it in the air and crunch it a bit?
Nope.....ok, lets turn it the other way and crunch it a bit......
ahhhh, success....lets go, find another one....
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.
The scientific name sutorius means "cobbler" rather than "tailor" while Orthotomus means "straight-cutting".