SharePoint 2007: The Definitive Guide

Colophon

The animals on the cover of SharePoint 2007: The Definitive Guide are various types of buntings, the common name for small, plump birds of the family Emberizidae (the sparrow family). Among the buntings pictured are the snow bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis), a North American type noted for its white plumage; the corn bunting (Miliaria calandra), a European type and the largest of the buntings; and finally, the yellowhammer (Emberiza citrinella), a Eurasian type with a yellowish head and breast.

Buntings are similar in habits to finches, and as such, in the past they were often grouped with the finch family Fringillidae. Buntings are distinguished by their stubby, cone-shaped bills, which are perfect for cracking seeds. Fruit and insects round out their diet. A bunting's coloring can vary widely depending on its sex and type—for instance, the male indigo bunting's plumage is a rich, metallic blue while its female counterpart is dull brown.

One particularly interesting member of the bunting family is the ortolan (Emberiza hortulana), which is considered a delicacy in French country cuisine. In the past, ortolans were netted, kept in darkened rooms to disrupt their normal feeding schedule, and then fattened with a diet of oats and millet. They were then roasted whole and sucked up in one bite—including the bones—through the rectum. Traditionally, the diner covered his head and his dish with a napkin to enhance the aroma as he ate. Due to their dwindling numbers, capturing and ...