A
bantam (
Indonesian:
Ayam kate) is a small variety of
poultry, especially
chickens. Etymologically, the name
bantam is derived from the
city of Bantam - currently known as "
Banten Province" or previously "Banten Residency" - once a major
seaport, in
Indonesia. European sailors restocking on live fowl for sea journeys found the small native breeds of chicken in
Southeast Asia to be useful, and any such small poultry came to be known as a
bantam.