Would you eat birds?

Discussion in 'Finding, Identifying, and Preparing Food' started by remnant, Jun 17, 2016.

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  1. remnant

    remnant Expert Member
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    In extreme situations of deprivation in the wild, birds would be a handy source of the badly needed sustenance to supply the body with proteins and energy to keep going. An easy method to trap them would involve putting a teaspoonful of flour on the ground. Them get a stick and tie it with a long string and place the stick on the ground. On top of the stick, a heavy container like a basin is placed. When birds come to eat the flour, just pull the stick and trap the birds inside. Extracting them should not be hard with a little imagination.
     
  2. Keith H.

    Keith H. Moderator Staff Member
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    I think most people who eat meat are already eating birds, is is more a matter of what type of bird. I would not eat a carrion feeding bird unless I had to, but fortunately there are plenty of game birds to choose from. Killing & eating small birds is fine, in the depression era small boys used to kill & trap small birds for the pot.
    Keith.
     
    Last edited: Dec 5, 2017
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  3. Endure

    Endure Expert Member
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    Since most small birds will fly away at the sight of any threat. Setting traps have the safest chance to catching birds. A drop cage or basket trap is probably the simplest way to catch small birds. You need a cage or a basket and attached trigger (similar to a mouse trap) with bait and is ready.
     
  4. OfTheEarth

    OfTheEarth Member
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    I do not consume animals, so no. If everything has gone haywire and birds are the last choice or I die, that is about the line. With that said, plants are still easier and more reliable, just have to be truly prepared to live off of them :)
     
  5. willywonka

    willywonka Member
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    I wouldn't eat birds because they carry a lot of diseases. They also get tons of parasites. I would rather stick to the creepy crawly bugs! *Slurp* Just be safe and cook it well y'all!
     
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  6. Corzhens

    Corzhens Master Survivalist
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    My first question is this - how would you find flour in the wilderness? Second question is how would you find a heavy basin? Okay, don't fret, I'm just testing your logic. But you are right, with that simple trap, provided your logistics are available, I think you can have a bird for lunch. But I would cook the bird and the most practical cooking is by roasting. Even the dried branches and twigs can provide me with a good fire that I can cook the bird easily. However, I have eaten birds on many occasions already and I find them tough. But hungry beggars cannot be choosers so I guess I would have to be content with the tough jerky meat of the roasted bird.
     
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  7. joshposh

    joshposh Master Survivalist
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    I'm guessing the OP was talking about small birds that aren't already served in most modern day societies. If it was the normal every day small birds that fly in and out of your yard? Sure why not. In a survival situation, anything goes. I even eat lizards and insects if you cook it right. Don't for get the seasonings.

    If they were pets? No I wouldn't. I couldn't bare the thought of eating a loved one. Pets are part of the family in my household.
     
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  8. iseeyou

    iseeyou Member
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    Well i can't really be picky during survival circumstances, so yes, i'll eat cooked birds. There are all types of birds and i believe most of them are edible, but i have to draw the line with vultures, they are scavengers and mainly feast on the decaying animals, so they won't be part of my acceptable food menu during post apocalypse times. I wonder what birds taste like though, most likely taste like chicken.
     
  9. My3Sons_NJ

    My3Sons_NJ New Member
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    I have no problem capturing and killing birds in the wild, particularly in a survival situation. Ducks and geese are relatively plentiful around a slow moving or stagnant water source and are not too difficult to capture. Wild turkeys are a rarer and a bit more of a challenge but they will provide a significant amount of needed meat (of course, far less meat than the overstuffed domestic turkeys we find in the supermarket). I'd definitely try sea gull, sand piper or pelican if I were stranded on a beach although the fuel needed to start a fire may be significantly more scarce.
     
  10. lonewolf

    lonewolf Societal Collapse Survivalist. Staff Member
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    yes of course I would,no problem.
     
  11. Destiny

    Destiny Member
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    Well, sure. If I could catch them I'd definitely eat them.
     
  12. SirJoe

    SirJoe Expert Member
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    Yes, of course. Why is eating a wild bird considered so strange but eating chicken or turkey ok. Even though they have been domesticated doesn't change the fact that they are still birds.
     
  13. djordjem87

    djordjem87 Member
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    I do not eat flash but people eat birds all the time. Chicken, turkey, ducks, even some wild game. I know that pigeons are used to make a good French soup and people in some places eat sparrows. I never understood the selections we make. How is a bird different than a pig? What is the criteria on this one? I know that pigs are smarter than an average 3-year-old child. That has to mean something. A bird is mindless. I know that some people measure the level of cuteness so pigs are definitely not cute since they are being slaughtered along with cows. But yes, if situation is dictating ... I would eat a bird.
     
  14. CivilDefense

    CivilDefense Expert Member
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    Would and have. I've hunted grouse, turkey, pheasant, ducks, and geese over the years. I don't have the time to go out these days, but it is good to have the skills and equipment ready.
     
  15. filmjunkie08

    filmjunkie08 Active Member
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    I have not eaten any birds other than chicken and turkey......not even pigeon. I don't know how much meat other birds really provide and it it is worth the time and energy put into hunting them. I think people would do better foraging in the woods for edible vegetation.
     
  16. My3Sons_NJ

    My3Sons_NJ New Member
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    Duck and goose are very good birds to eat besides the more common fowls eaten (chicken, cornish hen, turkey). Ostrich is delicious to eat as well and it has a much more firm texture than the typical flesh found on smaller bird species. If you have a gun that is capable of shooting bird shot, hunting birds is fairly easy but it becomes much more difficult to do lacking a long-range weapon.
     
  17. cluckeyo

    cluckeyo Well-Known Member
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    We eat a lot of chicken. We also eat domestic quail. We hunt doves and they are delicious. We have the huge Eurasian Collared Doves that live wild here. One would make a meal! Small birds are extremely easy to dress. It takes about 3 minutes to kill a quail and get it ready for the fire. I don't think chickens are easy though. Hard work!
     
  18. Toast

    Toast New Member
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    I think birds are a pretty common food, especially when you consider chickens. I don't really have anything morally against eating birds, and I don't know anyone who would. If you have a reliable way to catch birds, I say you go for it. If you live in the USA though, make sure you don't eat bald eagle, that's illegal. Besides that, I'm sure lots of birds taste pretty good. I don't see any reason why their meat would have much less nutritional value, than any other kind of meat. I think that in a lot of cases they might be harder to catch, and in those you'd be better off going for something easy to catch.
     
  19. Rere

    Rere New Member
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    Duck and goose are very good birds to eat besides the more common fowls eaten (chicken, cornish hen, turkey). Ostrich is delicious to eat as well and it has a much more firm texture than the typical flesh found on smaller bird species. If you have a gun that is capable of shooting bird shot, hunting birds is fairly easy but it becomes much more difficult to do lacking a long-range weapon.
     
  20. Clara1993

    Clara1993 Active Member
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    Hii of cause If it's the only choice I get I would eat them The point is to survive and If I have to eat them then I'd go for them.
    If I'm able to catch them ofcause because it can be tricky And A big struggle to chase birds right??
     
  21. kgord

    kgord Active Member
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    Well if that was all there was to eat, sure I would kill birds. I would make sure they were well cooked however. If you ever watch Bear Grylls on TV he is postively charring any wild animal before eating it. I think if you cook anything long enough you will kill the diseases and parasites. It may taste like shoe leather but it will be safe to eat.
     
  22. lonewolf

    lonewolf Societal Collapse Survivalist. Staff Member
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    most birds are edible, but sea birds can taste a bit fishy or so i'm told- I don't live by the coast myself.
     
  23. WildSpirit

    WildSpirit Active Member
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    In a situation of normal conditions (something that 5-star restaurants often offer to high-spending customers :confused:), I would probably never eat a bird... But if the situation is of
    extreme urgency, in case of survival, I would have to be forced to do so. After all... It will possible be my life or that of the bird. :(
     
  24. Robin Roberts Jungle

    Robin Roberts Jungle Member
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    How would that actually trap the bird? Excuse me if I misinterpreted the picture. Wouldn't the birds just fly alway the minute you pulled the stick? A bird is a fast and responsive animal. Whenever I go into my garden, they fly away at the sound of my footsteps. If I were in the wild, however, I would not eat a bird unless I was really desperate. I see birds as pets, so I couldn't bear to hurt the little critters to stay alive. However, that's just me.
     
  25. Keith H.

    Keith H. Moderator Staff Member
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    You can shoot birds with a gun or bow, you can bring them down in flight with a rabbit stick or boomerang. The easiest way is simply to trap them. If you have none of these skills, then I suggest you learn them. Providing of course that you are actually serious about learning how to survive. Some members here would obviously sooner die than (a) use a gun, or (b) kill someone, or (c) kill & eat an animal.
    I don't think there will be a lot of survivors!
     
  26. explorerx7

    explorerx7 Expert Member
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    When I was a youngster, it was a natrual event for me and my peers to make slingshots which we would used to shoot birds that we would cook and eat, therefore, eating wild birds with the exception of those vulture-types would not be a problem. I would exclude those types that scavange dead carcasses because I fear that they could contain harmful bacteria.
     
  27. Keith H.

    Keith H. Moderator Staff Member
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  28. ToTang45

    ToTang45 Expert Member
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    If I resorted to eating meat, I don't see why not. I mean, it's all flesh and muscle.
    What does it matter if it belongs to a Chicken or Quail or Magpie or Crow.
     
  29. Keith H.

    Keith H. Moderator Staff Member
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    I would not eat carrion birds, have you never heard the expression "eating crow"! :confused:
    Keith.
     
  30. Scarlet

    Scarlet Member
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    I will not eat birds. There is a bird flu virus and other illness you will get from eating birds. I would rather eat fruits in the wild which is healthy and clean.
     
  31. Keith H.

    Keith H. Moderator Staff Member
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    Even in winter?
    Keith
     
  32. ToTang45

    ToTang45 Expert Member
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    I actually have not. Why, what is wrong with it?

    I mention again, I'm not a meat eater in general so I'll gladly admit some ignorance on the matter.
     
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  33. koolhandlinc

    koolhandlinc Expert Member
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    Would I? If I am hungry. I would eat them and probably any other varmints I could catch or shoot with a pellet gun. I purchased a mold long ago and can cast pellets. Its stored away long ago but I can do it. Maybe later I might have to trap them but in the beginning. I think a quite pellet gun could be a good provider of something to eat. Have thought about a better pellet gun a few times but can't budget it currently.
     
  34. Bishop

    Bishop Master Survivalist
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    Crows breast with a slice of jalapeno pepper wrapped with bacon a little salt and pepper.

    Robins skinned and salted over a camp fire

    Dove and quail cooked in Olive oil

    Phesant wrapped in clay and put in the coals of a camp fire hit 3 it 4 hours

    Wood peckers breast and slow fyed

    Curloo breast
     
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  35. airfightermax

    airfightermax Member
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    I mean, we are already eating birds. Chickens could be considered as birds for example.

    There is the risk of contracting diseases from eating animals you don't know though. You might have eaten an infected bird and that could not end very well for you.
     
  36. TsuyoyRival

    TsuyoyRival New Member
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    In a desperate situation, I would eat any type of bird, although I would be concerned about whether or not they had diseases. In my opinion, i think most of the infections diseases are eliminated with high temperatures, but there might be some pathogens that would survive extreme heat. In any case, I would just eat the bird. Better the benefits than the risks.
     
  37. m33kuh

    m33kuh Active Member
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    Depends on what kind of birds but yeah most birds are edible I guess. You'll just have to be careful because as what others have said, birds may contain parasites or viruses and it will be deadly if you are not careful. But who knows right?
     
  38. Kootenay prepper

    Kootenay prepper Expert Member
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    I eat tons of wild birds already. The mountains around here are full of grouse that you can walk within 5 feet before they try to get away.
     
  39. Keith H.

    Keith H. Moderator Staff Member
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    Neither have I, but crow is apparently unpalatable .
    Keith.
     
  40. Kootenay prepper

    Kootenay prepper Expert Member
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    Ya I think I would avoid any of those scavenger birds
     
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  41. TexDanm

    TexDanm Shadow Dancer
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    Holy crud!! I can't imagine not eating birds. I eat them all the time and was raised hunting ducks, geese, quail, doves, pigeons and robins and have raised and eaten or been around people that raised chickens, ducks, geese, guineas, peafowl, emus and turkeys. Birds are one of mankind's most common domestic food sources. I fully plan on a lot of birds in soups if things go ugly. I am plenty good with a slingshot and also have several BB guns that are great for birds. Most nongame birds are not very smart. Hunting has made the game birds very shy and cautious while the rest of them will just sit on a power line and let you knock them off. To me this question is like would you eat if you were hungry or would you just prefer to starve to death??

    In Africa eating vultures is a fairly common food source but I would have to be VERY hungry before I ate one...just saying...
     
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  42. Kootenay prepper

    Kootenay prepper Expert Member
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    In a SHTF situation where you have to travel anywhere birds make a good meal since they are quick to clean and cook so you can save your pack food for when you really need it. Agree with you TexDanm some of those birds just sit out on the powerlines asking for you to get them.
     
  43. TexDanm

    TexDanm Shadow Dancer
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    Four and twenty blackbirds baked into a pie tells me that people were eating birds a lot in the past. To tell you the truth there isn't much that flies, swims, walks, crawls or slithers that I won't and/or haven't eaten. That is one reason I have no worries about being able to find food. I am a totally opportunistic omnivore!!
     
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  44. Kootenay prepper

    Kootenay prepper Expert Member
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    Ya a little bit of experimenting and you can make a good dish out of a lot of those critters around.
     
  45. TexDanm

    TexDanm Shadow Dancer
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    Where I was raised you could easily feed your family with just the mudbugs!! Crawfish were everywhere and those little lobster lookalikes are good eating and nutritious. Small birds, crawfish and crabs are often overlooked by people not raised with them as a part of their diet. Cajuns eat it all and make it all good too!! I've eaten Gumbo made with about every sort of meat you have ever heard of and it was all delicious! Down on the coastal swamps you could live off of nutria rats alone. They average up to 20 pounds and are quite eatable. Survival is all about thinking and sometimes EATING outside of the box!
     
  46. TexDanm

    TexDanm Shadow Dancer
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    I've got to ask. Where do these people live that think there is something wrong or strange about eating birds???? I honestly thought eating birds was fairly universal. Please, someone enlighten me. Between chicken and their eggs I think most Americans would have a hard time getting by without their regular bird fix! Seriously where is it that bird eating is so strange and distasteful??
     
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  47. Old Geezer

    Old Geezer Legendary Survivalist
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    The very concept of gravy, of stew, of pie, of soup, ... is to make use of what little meat one could put together and dilute it into a larger mass of grain and/or vegetables to keep body and soul together. Me, I categorize such "fixins" as "poor-folk food". When talking gravy, poor-folk food can be mighty tasty.

    Cathead biscuits and gravy, yum yum!
    e775b81138c46b4bd28ce094add1d092.jpeg
     
  48. TexDanm

    TexDanm Shadow Dancer
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    I had sausage cream gravy on biscuits for supper the other day!! It was sooooo good!

    Cajun Gumbo is basically just a brown gravy based stew with WHATEVER you have cooked in it and put on rice. It is a way to take a little of nothing and feed a family...and make it good while you do it. Birds, fish, shellfish, crustaceans, mammals, reptiles and amphibians all make an appearance in gumbo.
     
  49. AuntB

    AuntB Expert Member
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    I saw the thread title and immediately thought worms and viruses. As said earlier, birds are easy to kill with a BB gun and sling shot (I am not up to this skill level yet!) so it would be easy harvesting of protein. But I do not know enough about avian flu etc. so how does one know with a wild bird? I know that they have mites and bugs in their feathers so this is something to consider. Also one must consider is killing a robin or sparrow, plucking, cleaning and cooking worth the effort?
     
  50. TexDanm

    TexDanm Shadow Dancer
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    If you are hungry you will be happy to clean and cook anything you can get. The bird flu thing is silly. You are more likely to get the flu from another person than a bird. In general bird flu comes from birds crowded in meat producing places and it is transmitted to the people via unsanitary conditions or from blood in the huge slaughter processing plants in mostly China.

    If you worry about the extremely rare cases of diseases transmitted from animals to people you will starve to death. While you are sweating bird flu you don't want to forget swine flu, also armadillos can carry leprosy and squirrels and prairie dogs can carry the plague. Cattle can get Hoof and Mouth which is possibly also passed to humans as anthrax.

    All of this stuff is like the fact that based on today's risk assessments none of my generation should have survived to grow up. Life is about risks. Sadly we now live in a place and time that believes that ANY risk is unacceptable.

    A lot of birds like Robins and Doves you basically just peal the breast out and eat that unless you are seriously hungry. It is quick and easy.
     
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