Not sure if this is the correct forum,mods do what you do.

I live just outside Phitsanulok,rural setting.

Presently,the locals are shooting,large grey coloured birds,that feed on frogs and fish in the paddy.

Large meaning 1metre plus tall,look like stalks,or ibis.

Are they good eating,as they are now for sale in the local market.

Or in view of the Chinese bird flu outbreak,are they best left in the market.

If you are a veggie,I don't care,so don't waste your time.

Should be a fair sized drum-stick I'd imagine, about the size of a baseball bat.

Off topic post removed.

OP - sounds like an Ibis.

Should be a fair sized drum-stick I'd imagine, about the size of a baseball bat.

Must admit,I haven't seen them in Kfc.

Should be a fair sized drum-stick I'd imagine, about the size of a baseball bat.

Must admit,I haven't seen them in Kfc.

Obviously you didn't upsize your meal

Thank you,SVB,have you sampled the meat?

I will buy some tomorrow evening and report my findings.

Have sampled a variety of interesting wildlife in my travels - can't say I've tried Ibis.

Hopefully it isn't one of the endangered species (ie White Shouldered Ibis? I think that is one of the endangered ones)

Let us know how you go.

SVB,don't think it is endangered, the are loads of them.

Will Google your advised species to check.

In Thai speak.

Nok gatyang, sounds like anyway.

Sound raising in the first half of gatyang

I get the Nok bit.

I'm pretty sure its not the endangered one either - they're as rare as rocking horse ****. And they're not grey.

Munch away.

SVB,

OK market tomorrow for big bird.

Just got to decide what to do with it.

Have all day tomorrow to decide as it is only available on the local evening market.

Is it the grey Flamingo they have here?

I'm almost certain the OP is referring to Cross bill

Herrons, the central planes are infested with them..

How about adding a pic for us to see

OP, sounds like Openbill Stork's you're describing...

in Thai... นกปากห่าง - nok bpaak haang

not a protected species

OP, sounds like Openbill Stork's you're describing...

in Thai... นกปากห่าง - nok bpaak haang

not a protected species

Yes thats what they look like,thank you.

OP, sounds like Openbill Stork's you're describing...

in Thai... นกปากห่าง - nok bpaak haang

not a protected species

Yes thats what they look like,thank you.

no problem. i have to say in all my years, i've never heard of anyone actually eating this particular bird... but if u must then by all means do give the forum a full report (pls don't say, 'it tastes like chicken..' )

but if u must then by all means do give the forum a full report (pls don't say, 'it tastes like chicken..' )

I'm told by villagers that they don't taste good at all.... but they come free!

Last year and this, Asian Openbills have been far more widespread in Thailand than usual. They certainly got as far north as Chiangmai last year, Phitsanulok and the surrounding provinces had lots of them, and they got as far as Udon in the North-East. This year I have heard of them from Udon, Bang Rakam in Phitsanulok....and a couple of days ago I saw 150 near my house in Buriram.

Open-billed storks?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asian_Openbill

Last year and this, Asian Openbills have been far more widespread in Thailand than usual.

it's a purely cyclic event.. as with most influxes of species, it waxes & wanes year(ish) to year... i just hope a new generation don't acquire a taste for this particular one.

Sad to hear Asian Openbill being hunted. Round here(North of Phetchabun)we have a good few on the rice paddies. I always assumed they were not hunted because:

1. They didn't taste good

or

2. The farmers actually appreciated the service the birds provide clearing the large snails from the paddy.

http://500px.com/photo/24089145

In all my travels down to Thali Noi lake area in Songkhla, where there are lots of these birds, I have never seen the locals try to kill or eat them or any of the migratory birds in the area for that matter. .... I think Thetefldon is correct, these birds provide a service helping to keep the paddies clear of snails etc!

if it moves course theyl eat it,,bit of oyster sauce and away you go,,,all birds taste like chicken even my wife,,, ,,,,,,,

South East Asians - Thais, are same the Chinese!

From them there is a saying.

"Chinese you can serve everything in a Restaurant, they will eat all, except the chairs and the tables!"

Kg frogs 200 Baht? At least that is what I heard from my GF in Isaan, what she bought them, for her Mam.

Nearly nothing here in the Wild left over to see in rural Udon Thani - Sakhon Nakhon. As soon as something living is seen its killed and eaten!

Yeah the Openbills are usually tolerated because they eat the snails which are a major threat to the rice crop. Their range is increasing dramatically both north and south - they are now being reported in numbers in Malaysia and in Laos; twenty years ago they were almost an endangered species here in Thailand. I imagine they taste foul as opposed to fowl if you get my meaning!

Nearly nothing here in the Wild left over to see in rural Udon Thani - Sakhon Nakhon. As soon as something living is seen its killed and eaten!

Rubbish, Alfredo. You just need to keep your eyes open. A friend of mine has seen 170+ species of birds in his area near Udon.

I found a Chinese pond heron caught in a snare next to a whilst birdwatching a few years ago, made sure no one was looking and let I'm go, very satisfying feeling watching him fly off! Beautiful bird up close, the bright golden yellow colour of his eyes was truly remarkable!

It is all fair game in the LOS. If it walks, swims, crawls, or flies then it will be in the wok sizzling somewhere in Thailand.

Had loads of them in Rayong this year, I had never seen them round our way before, I am told they don't taste good that's why no one bothered with them. We seemed to have an explosion of pond snails this year too it's almost as if the Openbills put the word out on the 'street'.