Buntings
are a group of mainly European passerine birds of the
family Emberizidae. They are seed-eating birds with a
distinctively shaped bill, and are the Old World equivalents
of the species known in North America as Sparrows (However,
these birds are not closely related to the Old World sparrows
which are in the family Passeridae). Their habits are
similar to those of finches, with which they sometimes
used to be grouped. Some emberizids are still named as
finches. Many species have distinctive head patterns.
There are a few species named as "buntings"
which are now classed in the cardinal family. These are
mainly those that have blue in the plumage, like the Painted
Bunting and Indigo Bunting. |
