On 4th April 2013, Dato’ Dr Amar-Singh HSS visited his favourite birding spot in Tambun Interior, Perak, Malaysia. This is a fish and vegetable farming area among the ex-mining pools and scenic limestone hills around.
The area is an excellent spot to view the Ashy Tailorbird (Orthotomus ruficeps cineraceus). A number of pairs were around, some just starting breeding process, others feeding fledged juveniles. The adults were in full breeding plumage (above: adult male) and busy calling out Ashy Tailorbird-call 1 and and Ashy Tailorbird-call 2
The image below-left shows the less common feeding technique – “hover-snatching” animal prey from the tips of foliage (see Wells 2007). The below-right image of an adult female preening shows the yellow-brown iris (amber in males).