Black Duck Mystery

M

Mike Sanzone

Member
I shot a Black Duck yesterday which I gut and left it outside in the shed....this morning I started breasting out the birds and this one bird had little white specks thru out the breast meat ...anyone ever see this before?..I took a picture with my phone...if I ever figure out how to post pictures from a IPad I will put them up
 
It's called rice brest or Sarcocystis . I have seen it before in a few birds.



Sarcocystis is a parasitic infection caused by a protozoan (single-celled organism). Some species of Sarcocystis can cause illness in certain animals. However, waterfowl affected with this disease usually do not look or act sick and generally the disease is not fatal. Occasionally, severe infections may cause muscle loss with resultant lameness or weakness. Such affected birds may be more susceptible to predation.
Other names for sarcocystis include rice breast disease, rice belly disease, sarcocystosis, and sarcosporidiosis. The most common protozoan infecting waterfowl is Sarcocystis rileyi.
 
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Supposedly the bird is still good to eat but I have never been able to bring myself to eat them. Fortunately I have only shot 2 blacks that have had it.
 
I've only seen 2 birds with rice breast, a shoveler and a mallard. It sure is a surprise when you are cleaning a bird and see that weird looking meat! Supposedly if you cook it thoroughly it's safe to eat but I didn't put that theory to the test.
 
I wonder if ANYONE has ever knowingly eaten rice-breasted birds - I know I've never had the courage or curiosity. Of course, if you don't skin your birds, you'd never know.....

I guess we could file this under "Food for Thought".....

SJS
 
Steve,
I have heard several times now people say that by plucking and roasting a bird you would never know it has rice breast. I roasted three birds the other night for dinner. When you start cutting the bird apart to serve it I think you would see it. Maybe I am wrong and it doesn't show up as well after cooking?
 
I shot a bird a few years ago with rice breast and ate it. My wife loves interrupting my hunting conversations with folks (usually strangers) with, "Did he tell you about how he ate a duck with parasites". If I don't pluck my birds whole I will just pluck the breast and like Steve said leave the skin on. So there is a good chance my wife has eaten a duck with parasites:).

My buddy shot a deer last week and found it the next morning after the coyotes chewed off its ears and tail and took a few bites out of the hindquarters. His wife wouldn't let him have it so now I've got some venison in the freezer!
 
Kris~

Well.....could you see the "rice" after cooking?

And, does duckboats.net have a "Darwin Award"???

My gunning hat is off to you!

All the best,

SJS
 
When you are a poor graduate student like me and can't hit the side of a barn, you take whatever you can get. I don't remember if I could still see the rice after cooking. I guess I have blocked it from my memory.
 
I have taken a few mallards and Mexican ducks with that parasite in this area. When a duck is heavily infested is is one gross looking thing.
Al
 
I think this was the first season I can remember not seeing a single bird with rice breast, I tend to see it more in black ducks.
 
I have seen, and eaten more than my share of ducks with Rice Breast than I should. Almost always in Sask, & Manitoba. Birds that were heavily infested got tossed. I use a Wok to cook most ducks. Never have seen traces of "rice" after cooking.

Makes one wonder, after all the birds we handle and eat..... How many times we have had, and become immune to the Bird Flu? Or is that even possible?
 
Only one thing worse than finding a bird with rice breast, find have a worm in the apple you just took a bit out of
 
I've shot a few birds with rice breast. I usually pluck and pull the breast skin back in the field. When I notice rice breast, I leave the ducks for some other critter to eat as I won't. Breaking the laws here I realize but if I brought it home it would just get thrown away and wasted.

Mark W
 
Mike
Use the attachment feature of the editor when posting a picture. Use browse feature to find the location of your picture and upload attachment. Check inline to put in the text or do not check it and it will be at the bottom of your post.

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I get a lot of birds with rice breast. I am sure I have eaten some when I have roasted them with the skin on. Black ducks, pintails, and teal are the ducks I have seen it in regularly. It seems like some years I see it a lot and some years not much at all. I think I only had one duck this year with it, but other years I have gotten 7 or 8 with it. But if I see it, I won't eat it.
 
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