Sea birds on the menu
- Thread starter Janne
- Start date
Never tried sea birds, but am guessing they'll be pretty fishy. Be careful of fishing contamination, such as lines and weights etc.
Be interested to hear how they taste. i do know they were considered a delicacy for many stranded norse sailors around the orkneys and shetlands and the tradition continued until quite recently (eating seabirds that is, not getting stranded).
Be interested to hear how they taste. i do know they were considered a delicacy for many stranded norse sailors around the orkneys and shetlands and the tradition continued until quite recently (eating seabirds that is, not getting stranded).
I would eat it without any worry 
An old friend of mine, who grew up with very little money, was fed Seagull from the local renovation area at least once, while growing up. They made a Seagull casserole No one got sick from the garbage Seagulls, so your Seagulls are probably even safer.
Just be sure you don't shoot breeds that are illegal to hunt
An old friend of mine, who grew up with very little money, was fed Seagull from the local renovation area at least once, while growing up. They made a Seagull casserole
No one got sick from the garbage Seagulls, so your Seagulls are probably even safer.Just be sure you don't shoot breeds that are illegal to hunt
how are you planning to catch them?! (i presume its legal ?!)
no idea how they cook them but the maori still collect mutton birds( i believe non-maori people are not allowed to do it).....
no idea how they cook them but the maori still collect mutton birds( i believe non-maori people are not allowed to do it).....
sorry if i go somewhat 
which diameter did work best for ducks and what bait did you use?! are the ducks supposed to walk into the snare or just to stick their head into it?!
which diameter did work best for ducks and what bait did you use?! are the ducks supposed to walk into the snare or just to stick their head into it?!
Historically, penguins were taken for meat on Antarctic expeditions. I say taken because they had no fear of humans, s the hunters just had to walk into a colony and pick them up.
I had a chance to taste a penguin egg when I was on South Georgia. When it was boiled and peeled though, I backed out as I found the green colour and fishy aroma nauseating. Others enjoyed it though.
Cheers, Michael.
I had a chance to taste a penguin egg when I was on South Georgia. When it was boiled and peeled though, I backed out as I found the green colour and fishy aroma nauseating. Others enjoyed it though.
Cheers, Michael.
I remember my grandfather tell me that during the war he would often make seagull soup for the family, and I know Tim Severin would catch cormorants and other sea birds for food on his journeys.
I was thinking about the different breeds of Seagulls
You can't just hunt any Seagull. Unless there are some local permission in Lofoten, you can only hunt "Gråmåke" and "Svartbak". If I'm not completely wrong, the season for hunting Seagulls is from sometime during August to the end of February. I would check it out just to be sure. Puffin is a protected species, no matter how high or low they fly.
not too many penguins on the lofotens , though.....
True, but it's a similar environment to South Georgia.
On a side note, one of my aunts bought my son a book about the poles when he was 4 (in 2008) which showed a polar bear hunting a penguin on the cover. It was supposed to be an educational book too.
Cheers, Michael.
There is a fascinating book about Scottish Islanders going hunting for guga as they call skua, I think, but I gave it to a friend and cannot remember the title. It was certainly still going on a few years ago, they sail out to islands where the birds nest and bring back supplies for the whole community.
sorry if i go somewhat
which diameter did work best for ducks and what bait did you use?! are the ducks supposed to walk into the snare or just to stick their head into it?
I don't know the book you refer to but some folks have permission to harvest in certain areas in Scotland today.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-25527432
Herring gulls are said to be not good to eat but their eggs are a delicacy.
Historically all sorts of birds have been caught.
(In the 30s there were `Great auks` seen on the Lofotens...Someone had been naturalising King penguins there...they survived a few years but did not breed.)
(This was in Fullers Great auk book if you want a reference.)
Historically all sorts of birds have been caught.
(In the 30s there were `Great auks` seen on the Lofotens...Someone had been naturalising King penguins there...they survived a few years but did not breed.)
(This was in Fullers Great auk book if you want a reference.)
Yeah, 10 days. To get from Ness on the isle of Lewis to Sula Sgeir, a wind swept and storm ravaged rock in the Atlantic only accessible in gentle North Easterly weather conditions, situated 60k north of their home port.
From arrival they have to get their kit landed, and that includes "everything" they'll need for the stay, there's no water etc. so water fuel for the fires for heat and processing the guga, preserving salt et al. Except alcoholic drink, this is a dry activity and many of the hunters are devoutly christian, as is fairly common amongst people in that part of the Hebrides.
Accommodation is in the stone cells built and used by monks in the 7th or 8th centuries, which the guys cover over with tarps to make habitable.
Then they start to harvest the birds, the guga isn't just any chick. Rather it's specifically a mid grown chick. So they have to be selected. Once killed the guys have to process them for curing, in salt and then stack them.
This goes on for a further 8 days or until 2,000 have been processed. Then, weather permitting as it's not uncommon for there to be a week or two being stormbound, they dismantle their gear and load the boat that comes for them and sail for home.
The taking of any sea bird in UK waters is illegal, the only exception being the granted 2,000 Gannets/Sula given by parliamentary concession to the men of Ness, and only from that one difficult location.
Unlike Scandinavia, the laws that apply aren't made by the people who live on the Atlantic rim, until recently they were drafted in London, 1,000k distant and by people who have little understanding of the culture and language of the areas they legislated over.
So, not a jolly.
