Bunting Small , plump bird of the Finch family. Among the American buntings are the indigo bunting, in which the summer plumage of the male reflects light as a rich, metallic blue; the painted bunting or nonpareil, with the snowy red and, blue and green plumage ; the hardy snow bunting, whose winter plumage is white marked with light brown on the head and and sides; and the lazuli bunting of the west, turquoise above with a chestnut breast and white wing bars .
European buntings include the corn, snow, and cirl buntings , the yellow hammer and the ortolan , which is caught and flattened and as a table delicacy . |