buntings

buntings
Sparrow Spar"row, n. [OE. sparwe, AS. spearwa; akin to OHG. sparo, G. sperling, Icel. sp["o]rr, Dan. spurv, spurre, Sw. sparf, Goth. sparwa; -- originally, probably, the quiverer or flutterer, and akin to E. spurn. See {Spurn}, and cf. {Spavin}.] 1. (Zo["o]l.) One of many species of small singing birds of the family {Fringillig[ae]}, having conical bills, and feeding chiefly on seeds. Many sparrows are called also {finches}, and {buntings}. The common sparrow, or house sparrow, of Europe ({Passer domesticus}) is noted for its familiarity, its voracity, its attachment to its young, and its fecundity. See {House sparrow}, under {House}. [1913 Webster]

Note: The following American species are well known; the {chipping sparrow}, or {chippy}, the {sage sparrow}, the {savanna sparrow}, the {song sparrow}, the {tree sparrow}, and the {white-throated sparrow} (see {Peabody bird}). See these terms under {Sage}, {Savanna}, etc. [1913 Webster]

2. (Zo["o]l.) Any one of several small singing birds somewhat resembling the true sparrows in form or habits, as the European hedge sparrow. See under {Hedge}. [1913 Webster]

He that doth the ravens feed, Yea, providently caters for the sparrow, Be comfort to my age! --Shak. [1913 Webster]

{Field sparrow}, {Fox sparrow}, etc. See under {Field}, {Fox}, etc.

{Sparrow bill}, a small nail; a castiron shoe nail; a sparable.

{Sparrow hawk}. (Zo["o]l.) (a) A small European hawk ({Accipiter nisus}) or any of the allied species. (b) A small American falcon ({Falco sparverius}). (c) The Australian collared sparrow hawk ({Accipiter torquatus}).

Note: The name is applied to other small hawks, as the European kestrel and the New Zealand quail hawk.

{Sparrow owl} (Zo["o]l.), a small owl ({Glaucidium passerinum}) found both in the Old World and the New. The name is also applied to other species of small owls.

{Sparrow spear} (Zo["o]l.), the female of the reed bunting. [Prov. Eng.] [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • Buntings — (engl., spr. Böntings), englische, leinene Gewebe, die zu Flaggentüchern gebraucht werden u. meist weiß, königsblau u. scharlachroth sind …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • Buntings — (Bontings), leinene engl. Gewebe zu Flaggentuch …   Herders Conversations-Lexikon

  • buntings and New World sparrows — startiniai statusas T sritis zoologija | vardynas atitikmenys: lot. Emberizidae angl. buntings and New World sparrows vok. Ammern rus. овсянковые pranc. bruants; embérizidés ryšiai: platesnis terminas – tikrieji giesmininkai siauresnis terminas – …   Paukščių pavadinimų žodynas

  • buntings — North Country (Newcastle) Words balks of foreign timber, secured in rafts on the shores of the river Tyne; a float at high water: let s go hikey on the buntins Newc …   English dialects glossary

  • buntings — bun·ting || bÊŒntɪŋ n. cloth used to decorate streets during holidays; fabric used to make flags; action of slowly hitting a ball n. brown or gray European passerine bird with a short stout that feeds on seeds …   English contemporary dictionary

  • Lazuli Bunting — Taxobox name = Lazuli Bunting status = LC status system = iucn3.1 image width = 220px regnum = Animalia phylum = Chordata classis = Aves ordo = Passeriformes familia = Cardinalidae genus = Passerina species = P. amoena binomial = Passerina amoena …   Wikipedia

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  • Painted Bunting — Taxobox name = Painted Bunting status = NT status system = iucn3.1 image width = 250px image caption = A male in Texas regnum = Animalia phylum = Chordata classis = Aves ordo = Passeriformes familia = Cardinalidae genus = Passerina species = P.… …   Wikipedia

  • Emberizidae — American Tree Sparrow Spizella arborea Scientific classification Kingdom …   Wikipedia

  • Cardinal (bird) — Taxobox name = Cardinalidae image width = 200px image caption = Male Northern Cardinal regnum = Animalia phylum = Chordata classis = Aves ordo = Passeriformes subordo = Passeri familia = Cardinalidae subdivision ranks = Genera subdivision =… …   Wikipedia

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