BUNTING, the common English name of the bird Emberiza miliaria, a member of the family Fringillidae and distinguished by the angular gape, bony knob on the palate and hairlike streaks on the eggs. The corn bunting (E. miliaria) inhabits Europe and most of Asia, nesting on the ground and forming flocks in win ter. The voice is harsh. The even commoner yellow-hammer (E. citrinella) is widely distributed and its monotonous song (often rendered as "A-little-bit-of-bread-and-no-cheese") is very familiar in Britain. The Girl bunting (E. cirlus), with an olive green head, is somewhat more southerly. The reed bunting (E. schoeniclus), recognized by its black head and white nape, is common in marshy places, to the exclusion of the other species. The snow bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis) breeds further north than any other passerine bird, reaching Spitzbergen. Of the American forms, the black-throated bunting or dickcissel (Spiza americana) inhabits the open country in central states, where it is migratory; the bay-winged bunting, vesper sparrow or grass finch (Pooecetes gramineus) of eastern Canada and U.S.A. is distinguished by its chestnut wings; the lark bunting (Calamo spiza melanocorys) of the western states resembles a lark in habits and has a brilliant song. American buntings in general are brilliantly coloured. See also RICE-BIRD; ORTOLAN ; PAINTED BUNTING; INDIGO-BIRD.
Bunting is a word of doubtful origin, possibly connected with bunt, to sift, or with the German bunt, of varied colour, also indi cates a loosely woven woollen cloth for making flags, and is also used of a collection of flags, and particularly those of a ship.