Yes, people eat crows around the world, and it is alright for human consumption. But crow-eating is not very popular and not supported in many countries.
The reason is simple. Crows are not unlike other birds who eat seeds and are bred for their meat like chickens.
They are scavengers, and when it comes to crow hunting for dinner, it is a very argumentative subject.
Why Are Crows Eaten?
If you look back into history, the crow has been a bird that was not a favorite among humans. The reason was they spoiled crops, and farmers usually didn’t like them. Plus, when there was a shortage of food, the most commonly available bird were crows.
Even in the drought, crows could be seen eating dead animals or other corpses.
People started hunting them down, sometimes due to their rage of dealing damaged fields of crops or sometimes just to eat the flesh.
Related Read: Do crows eat rabbits? | Threats to Rabbits from Crows
However, if you talk about the present day, crow hunting is allowed in the US for 124 specified days of the year. And, there is no limit to how many crows you hunt.
Is Crow Meat Good, Or Is It Poisonous?
No, crow meat is not poisonous. Some people believe that because crows eat dead animals who may have died due to poison, eating such a crow can be poisonous. It is also believed that crows are generally poisonous, but this is not true.
They are just like other birds and can be a bit more intelligent than them, though.
Are there any benefits to crow meat?
If you are looking for an age-reversing effect or immortality or another magical health improvement, you may be disappointed. There are no benefits to eating crow meat. Those who eat it sometimes don’t even like the taste. It is more rubbery and tastes not so delicious.
What do crows taste like?
There are mixed opinions on this. Some people find the taste just fine. They say that it tastes just like quail, chicken, or any other bird.
It won’t matter whether it is a crow or another bird’s meat, and you won’t even know the difference if you don’t know what you are eating.
Others say that it tastes foul. People don’t like it for one more reason because it is humiliating to eat a crow. There is an idiom that means eating crow is like admitting a huge mistake.
Crows have been considered as a “not-so-good” bird for centuries, and maybe it is the reason why people don’t like to eat them and don’t like the taste of crows.
However, there is a restaurant in Sweden that offers crow meat on April 4th. They are always booked in advance, so maybe crows are not so foul in taste, after all.
Which Country Eat Crows?
Lithuania is a country where crow meat is very popular and is eaten very normally, even today. The crow meat started serving as a delicacy in the 1930s and was quite popular among both noblemen and peasants. Then the tradition got lost between 1940 to 1991.
Now it is back. The younger crows, which have not even started flying, are preferred most.
Do The Chinese Eat Crows?
It is always said that the Chinese eat everything they can get their hands on, but it is not true. Yes, they eat dogs, bats, and even underdeveloped eggs, but the Chinese do not eat crows. It is a “Chinese statement”. So, we can take it as a no that the Chinese don’t eat crows.
Why Are You Not Supposed To Eat Crows And Ravens?
There are several reasons why crow eating is banished in several parts of the globe.
- They are natural scavengers. They feed on the dead, and that’s why many people consider their meat not to be a good or usual one for that reason.
- These days crows feed on trash and dead rats, and other poisonous animals, which may be hazardous to health. Your health depends very much on what you eat, so if you eat a crow that feeds on garbage, you are practically eating garbage.
- Some people also say that crow meat is toxic. Thus, it should not be eaten. However, it is not true. In some parts of the globe, it is deep-fried at high flame so that all the impurities of the meat go away and become edible. In 1930s, Dr. T.W. Stallings prepared crows for depression-era farmers of Oklahoma by cooking them in celery, smothered in gravy, and it became a trend in then Tulsa, Oklahoma. So, maybe crow isn’t toxic.
- In countries like India, it is considered that the ancestors visit their families during Sharaddha in the form of crows. In the same way, crows have been mentioned in the Quran of Islam. Due to their religious beliefs, these religions prohibit eating crow meat.
- Crows are intelligent birds. They can remember you if you try to hurt them, and they can convey this hatred to other crows as well. It is possible that you are attacked by a murder of crows. So, before you eat it, you need to hunt it, which makes it a little harder with the intelligence of this bird.
Is It Bad Luck To Eat A Crow?
According to various beliefs or myths, crows bring bad luck. Crows and ravens are often associated with the dark worlds and witches and are believed to bring bad luck with their cawing. Can’t say if this is true or false. This is another reason why crow eating is not popular.
Final Words
If you ask, crows are perfectly edible, and they are not poisonous or will make you sick. You will have to taste it to know what it tastes like as there are mixed opinions.
You can hunt a crow and cook it well. If you belong to the “I don’t eat Crows” club, then you are advised to not visit Lithuania as they eat crows there which won’t be a pleasant sight for you.
