Can you eat robins?
In this brief article, we are going to answer the question “can you eat robins?”, and we will discuss the laws that protect their hunting.
Yes, you can eat robins as most of the birds are edible. Its meat was eaten commonly in the past, but now there is a ban on hunting robins as they are among the protected bird species.
Back in the 19th century, robin meat was a delicacy and it was regularly hunted. Robin pie was rather famous and delicious.
Is it illegal to hunt robins?
Yes, apparently there is a ban on their hunting and you could get into trouble if you eat them. Despite their high population, they are marked as protected migratory bird species. Consequently, it is against law to harm them.
Birds are mostly hunted for sports due to which they could become extinct. That is why there is a complete ban on their hunt including many other species of birds.
What is a robin?
The American robin is a migratory songbird, named after the European robin, though not related closely. Its scientific name is Turdus migratorius of the family Turdidae.
It is most active during the day and is found in North America in large flocks. Their population is quite large with seven subspecies.
Can you eat robin eggs?
Yes, you can eat robin eggs without any risks. All bird eggs are edible and quite nutritious. However, the ban is also applicable to eating their eggs. All migratory birds are protected by law and harming them can cause legal actions against you.
What is the color of robin eggs?
Robin eggs are distinguished from other eggs as they are cyan blue in color. They are easily recognizable as they are unique.
Their distinct color is due to a pigment, biliverdin, present in the mother’s blood.
Usually, 3 to 4 eggs are laid by the female robin, and the incubation lasts for two weeks. Eggs are of ordinary shape.
Robin Pie
Robin pie was popular in America during the 1800s. This was reported in the Pittsburgh Weekly Gazette on Feb. 8, 1868:
“The robins of the North have been driven South by the severity of the weather, and the people of Pensacola are shooting and eating them.”
Wehman’s Cook Book published this recipe 1890:
“Cover the bottom of a pie-dish with thin slices of beef and fat bacon, over which lay ten or twelve robins, previously rolled in flour, stuffed as above, season with a teaspoonful of salt, a quarter ditto of pepper, one of chopped parsley, and one of the chopped eschalots, lay a bay-leaf over, add a gill of broth, and cover with three-quarters of a pound of half puff taste, bake one hour in a moderate oven, shake well to make the gravy in the pie form a kind of sauce, and serve quite hot.”
What other birds can you eat?
Because robins are protected birds and cannot be hunted for pleasure and eating, there are many other birds that you can hunt and try for a change of taste.
Bird hunting is a very famous sport all around the world, but most people tend to hunt them to eat them for their delicious taste. So, here are some of the birds which are legal to hunt and eat:
Bluewing and Greenwing Teal
Teal are small ducks that are quite delicious in taste. Cinnamon teal, however, is not that tasty to eat.
Ringneck Pheasant
Pheasant birds are delicious to eat but a bit coarse in texture and a little chewier than other birds.
Mourning Dove
Doves are quite strong in taste, with their meat dark red in color. They are similar to ducks in flavor, but not quite as juicy as them.
Wild Turkey
You can eat almost every part of a turkey. The breast, thighs, and legs are full of flavor and breasts are soft to chew.
Bobwhite Quail
They are a delicacy because of their exceptional taste. The meat flavor is similar to a chicken but much tastier.
Canada Goose
They are huge birds and yield a lot of juicy delicious meat. Goose meat tastes more like beef.
Conclusion
In this brief article, we answered the question “Can you eat robins?” and also discussed how they are protected against hunting. Furthermore, we provided a list of edible birds.
