There's a reason the Bald Eagle won out over the Turkey for national bird.

Japan’s national bird (green pheasant) is, IIRC, the only national bird that’s also a game bird. There’s not many stories or symbolism with green pheasants (as opposed to, say, cranes) and it’s mostly known in the country as food. I’ve seen it argued that it was selected because it’s delicious (though the official line seems to be their ability to recognize earthquakes)

>Japan’s national bird (green pheasant) is, IIRC, the only national bird that’s also a game bird.

Pakistan and Gibraltar both have national birds that are partridges (the chukar and the Barbary partridge respectively).

> Japan’s national bird (green pheasant) is, IIRC, the only national bird that’s also a game bird

France's national bird is the rooster, it's not really a game bird but it's definitely eaten.

The animals on Australia's coat of arms: Emu and Kangaroo, are both able to be eaten. The Emu is our national bird.

I don't know if they're technically game meats but I can buy them both commercially. Kangaroo meat is in most supermarkets, and Emu in speciality butchers.

You can get a 'Coat of Arms Pizza' at the Australian Heritage Hotel in Sydney

"half emu & half pepper kangaroo, slow roasted tomato, charred peppers, lemon myrtle mayo"

It was good the last time I had it.

When I was in Namibia and saw oryx on the menu at a restaurant, I ask them if they really ate their national animal. The waiter's response was, "oh, heck, no. These oryx are from South Africa!" Touché.

> Japan’s national bird (green pheasant) is, IIRC, the only national bird that’s also a game bird.

India’s national bird is the Peacock. It is a type of pheasant and was historically a game bird that was a common delicacy, especially for the rich. It is now illegal to hunt peacock in India, but people still get it in the black market.

(Off-topic?) Not talking about the pheasant, but I once read that the Japanese used to eat cranes (presumably the same kind shown in JAL logo), and even offered them as delicacy to a group of Korean ambassadors, who were horrified, because cranes were considered a symbol of Confucian virtue in Korea and nobody ate them.

I live in an area where there are plentiful eagles and I never heard of anyone eating one. I kayak around some islands in a nearby river where eagles nest and frequently encounter people at boat landings inquiring about eagle feathers. The laws around that stuff are pretty harsh - I always figured them to be under-cover Feds.

I don’t believe there are carnivorous and scavenger birds that are eaten for food.

We eat omnivorous birds though (chickens, esp)

Sandhill cranes are omnivorous and have the nickname "ribeye of the sky." I've never tried myself as I no longer live in the US, but I've heard they are very good.

Wow, they're beautiful birds I can't imagine shooting one. But... mmm... ribeye

When I lived in Alberta we used to see huge flocks of them.

I wonder if there's a way they could be domesticated for meat production. Probably not because migratory.

Crows are carnivorous scavenger birds that are actually eaten by quite a lot of people, at least here in the Northeastern US.

The beak is the best part!

Are you referring to the colloquial idiom?

Reminds me of an old joke about sick eagles that ends with the punchline "ill eagle feathers!"

Well, it is a felony with significant levels of enforcement - not likely something someone is going to brag about and get away with for long.

I'm skeptical. Eagles have well-worked muscles, which are usually tough. And they're carrion eaters, which are rarely delicious.

I haven't tried one, of course, so perhaps reality differs from theory. But I wonder if somebody's not telling the truth here (him, or his cook).

Lots of eagles eat freshly caught fish, not carrion

True. In Alaska, bald eagles swarm fish boats the way seagulls will swarm your picnic at the beach. Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLMa1DO-x5g

Great video!

I've been lucky enough to see White Tailed Eagles in Norway, and they too will follow boats that have fish. Although I don't think there are enough eagles for a swarm. There is a White Tailed Eagle in Poole Harbour (near to where I live on the UK sough coast), and he also only eats fish.