ortolan Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun brownish Old World bunting often eaten as a delicacy
    ortolan bunting; Emberiza hortulana.

WordNet

Or"to*lan noun
Etymology
F., fr. It. ortolano ortolan, gardener, fr. L. hortulanus gardener, fr. hortulus, dim. of hortus garden. So called because it frequents the hedges of gardens. See Yard an inclosure, and cf. Hortulan.
Definitions
  1. (Zoöl.) (a) A European singing bird (Emberiza hortulana), about the size of the lark, with black wings. It is esteemed delicious food when fattened. Called also bunting. (b) In England, the wheatear (Saxicola oenanthe). (c) In America, the sora, or Carolina rail (Porzana Carolina). See Sora.

Webster 1913