Eating pigeons

[Alex321]

I'm sure some people do, but it's illegal to kill them. So it's probably a safer bet to get a bit of chicken from the butcher/supermarket than hunt pigeons in the park.

It isn't nearly as simple as "it's illegal to kill them".

There are circumstances under which they can be killed, under General Licence GL41 or GL42 (England), GL001 or GL002 (Wales), GL02 or GL03 (Scotland).

And if lawfully killed, wood pigeons (but not feral pigeons) can always be sold.

 

[Arjimlad]

Woodpigeon is quite a dark meat, a bit like very lean beef in colour and texture. Needs either flash-frying so it is pink on the inside, or slow-cooker.

Pigeons are an agricultural pest which can cause serious damage to growing crops and are controlled only under a DEFRA general licence, so you can't just bop them off in the garden.

 

[Drago]

 

[Mo1959]

I remember eating them when I was very young. As said above, quite a dark meat but quite tasty. Done in the pressure cooker if I remember correctly.

 

[annedonnelly]

Yes, don't eat those cute red ones

Definitely not! We still have reds here so culling greys is one way to try to protect them.

 

[Dirk]

Best pub meal I ever had was braised Pigeon breasts in a black cherry sauce from the Old Red Lion in Upper Sheringham, Norfolk.
It wasn't expensive and was as good as anything a fancy restaurant would serve up.
Unfortunately, the pub was permanently closed when I went past it this time last year.

 

[Cycleops]

My mother grew up in a rural setting in the 50s; pigeon, rabbit, crow - these were all on the menu.

That's right, people weren't so fussy back then and food rationing didn't end until 1955.

 

[Cycleops]

Tom Lehrer was rather partial to poisoning them:

View: https://youtu.be/yhuMLpdnOjY

 

[lazybloke]

Tom Lehrer was rather partial to poisoning them:

View: https://youtu.be/yhuMLpdnOjY

Huh, beat me to it by a couple of mins!

 

[Smokin Joe]

That's right, people weren't so fussy back then and food rationing didn't end until 1955.

Boiled nettles were often on the menu when I was a nipper in rural Ireland. Rather tasty too.

 

[MontyVeda]

I've had wood pigeon. It was rather rich and rather greasy. Certainly not disgusting but there's better birds to eat.

 

[tyred]

Boiled nettles were often on the menu when I was a nipper in rural Ireland. Rather tasty too.

Indeed. I believe the secret is to get them when they're still young and tender. My granny used to fry them and mash them up with potatoes, butter and salt.

 

[biggs682]

Last time I ate one it tasted just like chicken 😋

 

[Gillstay]

I knew a chap who was hard up and just took a small air pistol and a rucksack into the park and regularly filled it with pigeon and squirrel.

He did not look like the sort to do it .

 

[numbnuts]

I have shot and eaten them in the 60s