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Stalking the Elusive Sparrow

© Mary Ellen Bradshaw

Postcards from Santorini 3

Today a new sound is added to the cacophony of church bells, roosters and braying donkeys. It is the sound of gunfire. No, it is not a drive-by shooting or a gang war. It is hunting season!

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Hunters, some dressed in camouflage with bandoleers across their chests, tramp through the villages, the fields and up the mountain sides, stalking the elusive sparrow. Yes, sparrows are a delicacy here! It is rather nerve-wracking to hear the gunshots, especially when they are quite near the house. I shoo the birds in the trees nearby, so neither of us will become victims.

There is another method of trapping prey which has been used for hundreds of years. A special cherry-like berry is picked and chewed, then put in the cooking pot to stew. The finished product is a non-toxic glue, which is generously slathered on a tree branch.

Caged songbirds are hung in the trees in the vicinity to attract the quarry. The hunter then hides and waits for the unsuspecting birds to land and get stuck. The birds are detached from the branch, killed and gutted, and the feathers removed. They are then salted down and placed in a crock, one on top of the other, to be eaten at a later time.

Then there is the pond method. A small shallow hole is dug, and a snare or net placed in the middle. Again caged songbirds are hung in the trees nearby to attract their brothers and a blind is built where the hunter hides.

Songbirds arrive in Santorini each year, during their migration from Africa. These birds are caught, then caged and kept as pets, or killed and eaten. When the bird lands in the pond, the string is pulled and the bird netted. Only the male songbirds sing, so I guess the poor females are lunch.

Here are two sparrow recipes, courtesy of our friend Spiros Zorzos.

Salted Sparrow and Sparrow in a Light Tomato Sauce

Salted Sparrow (What they did in the olden days to preserve them for winter treats.)

To preserve them, you alternate layers of salt and sparrow (whole, but cleaned) in a preserving jar. When you want to eat them, you simply wash the salt off and fry them up in a little olive oil. This is best served with ouzo as a*mese. (*nibblies /finger food}

Sparrow Pilaf in a Light Tomato Sauce:

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