This species was familiarly known as the Common Bunting, Corn Bunting or Bunting-Lark. Gould wrote 'In England, at least, it is a solitary creature, dotted here and there; sometimes it may be seen perched on the topmost branch of the hedgerow, at others on the telegraph-wires, which now, like great cobwebs, stretch over nearly every part of the country.'

A male bird is depicted on a sprig of broom.

DISTRIBUTION: Breeds western Europe through to extreme west China. Winters in breeding range south to Israel, southern Iraq and southeast Iran. Recent surveys in Britain have shown an alarming decline in numbers