ortolan

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ortolan

bird

Also known as: Emberiza hortulana, ortolan bunting

Written and fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last Updated: Nov 7, 2024 • Article History

Also called:: ortolan bunting

Related Topics:: Emberiza

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ortolan, (Emberiza hortulana), Eurasian garden and field bird of the family Emberizidae. It grows fat in autumn, when large flocks gather for migration to northern Africa and the Middle East, and at that season it is a table delicacy. The bird is 16 cm (6.5 inches) long, with streaked brown back, grayish head and breast, pale yellow throat, and pinkish belly. Its song resembles that of the related yellowhammer (E. citrinella) but is slower, more varied, and usually of six or seven clear notes followed by an occasional flourish. The nest is built on or near the ground and may contain four or five glossy greenish white eggs, variously marked with purple and brown.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Richard Pallardy.