by Dan Burden, content specialist, AgMRC, Iowa State University, djburden@iastate.edu.

Revised March 2008.

Overview 

Game birds are those birds that have traditionally been wild or hunted but have been raised commercially for their meat, for egg production or for release in hunting preserves. Commonly raised game birds include guinea fowl, partridges, peacocks, pheasants, pigeons and doves, quail or squab (a young pigeon), swans, wild turkeys and some ducks, such as mallards or wood ducks. Of these species, only pigeon, quail, squab and wild turkey are native. Game birds are also raised for exhibit or for hobby purposes.

The game bird industry in the United States produces millions of birds for sale to restaurants and for direct marketing to consumers. The number of birds in the United States is estimated at around 10 million pheasants, 37 million quail, 4 million chukar partridges, 1 million mallard ducks, 200 thousand wild turkeys and several other bird species.

The game bird breeding business is relatively new, and anyone interested in it should acquire as much information as possible prior to any financial commitment. Much of the early rearing and processing information was adapted from the domestic poultry industry. Their experience and knowledge regarding incubation, brooding, management and disease control, and market development continue to be valuable assets to the game bird industry. Those producing game birds should be willing to learn from the experience of others by contacting cooperative producers and trade associations.

The production of game birds requires specialized housing, netting or fencing systems; specific knowledge in the diseases common to game birds; and an identified market. Game bird production can take the form of “flight-ready” birds for release programs (where the birds are for sale to state game departments, private individuals or shooting preserves); an “exotic bird” business for the pet trade (pea fowl, guinea hens); or as a domestic poultry business specializing in gourmet table fare or ethnic specialties (pheasants, quail, duck). This is a business that can be started with minimal investment; for instance, raising exotic quail and non-game pheasant species for homeowners and hobbyists can be a profitable side business. In some areas, production of game birds requires specialized permits and licenses; in others, only a sales tax registration is necessary to conduct business. 

On the West Coast of the United States, native quail species, decimated by habitat loss, are produced for reintroduction by bird lovers and sporting organizations. In the Midwest, pheasant and chukar partridge growers can make a profit by supplying grown birds to outdoor sporting clubs for recreation, as well as frozen birds to restaurants. There even is a niche market of those consumers who purchase farm-raised game bird eggs as an alternative to large-scale commercially produced chicken eggs. Pickled quail eggs, canned or frozen smoked pheasant and duck for oriental cuisine are increasing in popularity as gourmet specialty items. 

Marketing
It is important to understand and to identify the targeted marketing outlet for the game birds prior to obtaining any stock. Markets demand various sizes, weights and ages of birds for the products. The key markets for meat game birds are whole birds, cut-up birds (in some instances) and specialized gourmet-type products, such as sausages. Eggs are sold in gourmet stores or direct to consumers as fresh or pickled. Game birds raised for flight are raised for hunting or for wildlife re-stocking.

Markets for meat game birds are generally coordinated through a specialty meat broker. Gourmet shops, specialty meat markets and restaurants are examples of markets for meat game birds. Pickled quail eggs are also sold through gourmet shops and outlets. 

Hunting reserves and state-owned preserves purchase flight birds for stocking and wildlife release. There are also markets for hatched chicks, sold to other game bird producers. 

Processing
Processing of game birds requires an understanding of the regulations surrounding approved slaughter facilities and state and federal laws. There are no commercial quality standards for pheasants marketed as dressed birds. However, the buyer of the dressed product may have specific preferences. 

Other Issues
The concept of game bird shooting preserves, where game to be hunted is reared in confinement and released for recreational hunting, originated in Europe and Great Britain and spread to this country after 1900. Interest in shooting preserves has steadily grown in recent years, largely because of the increased difficulty of gaining public access to private lands for hunting and because of increased interest in recreational hunting and shooting opportunities, particularly near urban areas. Some facilities also offer a place to participate in other recreational shooting sports, such as skeet, trap or sporting clays. In Midwestern and Plains states, preserves are often coupled with bed and breakfast lodges that form important local agritourism operations.

Additionally, these regulated hunting situations have proven to be a viable adjunct to hunting on public lands and native habitats. Particularly in the Midwest, harsh winters and cold, wet springs may severely reduce wild game bird populations. Many studies have shown that certain game birds have an annual turnover of 70 to 80 percent, due to natural environmental conditions. These studies also demonstrate that game bird populations sustain enough reproductive capability to replace their losses if properly managed. Private bird production affords state game managers birds for release and birds for local reservoir populations.

As hunting preserves have increased, so have questions regarding the potential effects that the release of pen-reared birds could have on diseases, population genetics and other environmental concerns. Some individuals question the ethical value of hunting released species for recreation and food, and hunting in general. In spite of these concerns, the USDA noted that 19,000 pounds of “other” poultry meat is marketed per year, usually for high-value gourmet markets.

As early as 1990, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resource Inventory (USDA 1990) documented that the United States was losing 4,000 to 5,500 acres of agricultural lands each day, the direct result of urban expansion. This development limits the available habitat for many wildlife species. Game farms producing birds for urban meat markets or as recreational shooting preserves assist in diversifying traditional farming operations. In some cases, they help to transform farmland into more sustainable wildlife-friendly habitat for both game- and non-game species and encourage agritourism through multi-use recreational development.

Bird farming can have other unanticipated impacts. For example, because habitat for wild quail was diminished or destroyed by human development, hunting preserves became financially viable as a business that met the sporting needs of quail hunters and bird-dog field trial competitors. Excess quail from these operations helped to reestablish affordable and regular quail supplies for gourmet food markets. This, in turn, created a greater demand for farm-raised quail and pheasants. Additionally, increased appreciation for these wildlife species spurred wild-lands protection and habitat restoration. Quail and pheasant conservation groups now contribute hundreds of millions of dollars each year to purchase land for habitat reclamation, which benefits all native species and contributes to the overall diversity of our agro-ecosystems. A situation that began with habitat loss has come full circle to habitat preservation.

With respect to economic opportunity, the 1985 and 2007 Farm Bill Program and similar programs allowed landowners to sign up large acreages of farmland to be planted in grass or trees under various Federal set-aside programs oriented toward habitat conservation (Conservation Reserve, Wetland and Forestry Reserve). In some areas, particularly the Plains region, game bird populations have significantly increased. This has resulted in increased hunter interest and expenditures to rural communities through direct purchases of licenses, shared federal and state tax revenue and the stimulation of related rural equipment or service ventures (electronic dog-training equipment, kennel systems, field clothing, guide services, local meat packaging and processing, meals and lodging).

Outlook
Today’s consumers are increasingly conscious of diet and the composition of foods. Game bird meat is ideally suited to respond to the desire for healthy foods. Compared to other meats, guinea fowl and pheasant are high in protein and low in fat, and quail is very high in iron. While the meat will continue to be a speciality item, the game bird industry can increase its niche market by diversification. If the whole industry--hatcheries, producers and processors--is prepared to maintain high quality standards and further develop its processing sector and exports, then this industry has as much or more potential than any other meat industry today.


Sources

NASS, USDA, 2001.

Profile created March 2004 and revised March 2008.