Squab

In culinary terminology, squab is an immature domestic pigeon, typically under four weeks old,^[1] or its meat. Some authors^[who?] describe it as tasting like dark chicken.^[2]

The word "squab" probably comes from Scandinavia; the Swedish word skvabb means "loose, fat flesh".^[3] The term formerly applied to all dove and pigeon species (such as the wood pigeon, the mourning dove, the extinct-in-the-wild socorro dove, and the now extinct passenger pigeon,^[4][5]) and their meat. More recently, squab meat comes almost entirely from domesticated pigeons. The meat of dove and pigeon gamebirds hunted primarily for sport is rarely called "squab".^[4]

The practice of domesticating pigeons as livestock may have originated in North Africa; historically, many societies have consumed squabs or pigeons, including ancient Egypt (still common in modern Egypt), Rome, China, India (Northeast),^[6] and medieval Europe. Although squab has been consumed throughout much of recorded history, it is generally regarded^{[citation needed]} as exotic, not as a contemporary staple food; there are more records of its preparation for the wealthy than for the poor.

The modern squab industry uses utility pigeons. Squab farmers^[7] raise the young until they are roughly a month old (when they reach adult size but have not yet flown) before slaughter.